Hagaren No Baka
by Kyo-K40-Sohma
Summary: Taking place after the movie,on what I think happens. A new journey slowly arises after they return to Rizenbul. In a matter of time, Ed and Al decide to head back to Central and begin new research to soon discover something that can possibly help them in
1. Central City Once More

**Chapter 1: Central City Once More**

Edward Elric, now at the age of eighteen back in his original home of Rizenbul, with his brother Alphonse, age seventeen. Both of their bodies had been returned to normal, except Ed kept the auto mail right arm, since it allowed him to use quick alchemy. The two of them lived in Winry's home, well, it was actually there 'aunt' Pinako's home, but either way it was a house for them to stay at.

He was still the young prophetical alchemist, but, he didn't go on missions any more, it was just him, his brother, Winry, and Pinako now. They had finally realized they couldn't even bring their mother back _with_ the philosopher's stone, so they gave up on that idea now. It wasn't that they no longer wanted their mother; it was the fact that, there were no other myths they can chase to bring her back. Ed and Al had a hard time getting their own bodies back, reviving someone seemed to be a whole new story now.

Stopping beside them, Winry smiles. "I'm so happy that …both of you are back to…well, sort of back to normal." She says at the end knowing Edward kept the auto mail arm.

Ed waves his hand a little. "You say that almost every day Winry, and we say this every day, 'We're happy too.'" He replies happily. "After all, we still haven't gotten one of our goals done yet…."

"Edward, no! You can't keep chasing after your mother like this!" Her voice showed how worried she was as she yelled at him. "Please! You just recently had your bodies restored." Winry suddenly felt a little weak at the knees. She couldn't stand it. Why would Ed want to continue to pursue that goal when the first time they tried it, it was an absolute failure? Some things should not be tried again when you fail at first. This was one of those things.

Human Transmutation is a forbidden art. And it has yet to be perfected, but still, Edward and Alphonse do research on it in their spare time when Winry and Pinako aren't around. Even though they've reached an age where they wouldn't need to be around their parents, they want her back still. The feeling is that she was taken from them. Taken from their lives when they still needed her. To bring someone back from the dead, without them becoming a homunculus, a failed human transmutation, you need to give something of equal value. You'd just lose another life in other words.

"I'm sorry, Winry…but…you don't understand." He whispers gently and looks up at her from the couch he and Al were sitting in.

"What! What don't I understand Edward!" She questions sorrowfully. "You could end up getting both of yourselves killed by trying again!" Winry continued to yell at him, and he just let her do so, excepting every word that came out of her mouth. He knew she meant well.

"Maybe…I'll do it by myself this time around. I'll off my right arm…" he replies softly to her. Trying to show that he has a pretty good plan. Yet, he still had no clue if it'd work or if it'd get him sent across the gate again.

"Ed!" His brother shouts almost out of nowhere. "I wont…I wont let you do it alone!" He says to him somewhat proudly. Al didn't want to lose his brother just after regaining his own body.

Edward stands up and looks at the coffee table. "Well then…" he puts his hands at his hips and brings his head up, his face almost covered by his smile, his sudden laughter catching Alphonse and Winry by surprise. "I suppose we'll be heading to Central's Library again, eh Al?" He grins looking at his younger brother.

He nods almost instantly remembering a promise Ed made to him.

Winry was completely confused. The Library? Was she missing out on some kind of private joke? She knew Central was the capital, but…. something wasn't right about how quickly they both came to an agreement on it. It was almost like they had been planning it for a really long time.

Alphonse gets to his feet and stands behind his brother. He was only an inch…or three taller, and he was the younger one. Rubbing his head he sighs. He couldn't point out that he was taller then him. A grin crossed his face and he looked excited. "Do you really mean it brother? Do you! We're really going to Central?" He asks cheerfully and runs upstairs to his run.

They still acted like kids. Probably because every place they went it ended up being some kind of hidden adventure. Edward nods and closes his eyes, with that same eager smile on his face whenever he was happy. "We're goin' to Central all right Al." He said to him proudly and grabbed his black jacket off a rack. It was a new one so it fit him. Ed recently had grown three inches. He was gaining up on his younger brother height wise. So he boasted about whenever he was around both Winry and Pinako. But, now wasn't the time.

Alphonse came back down, dressed in some of his newer clothing. He smiles at his brother and says, "Heads up brother!" He tosses a pocket watch at him. When Ed catches it he opens it gently and reads the date on the inside. He sighs a little and closes it, hooking it onto his pants at both ends, and sticking the watch part into his pocket. "Your going to help me become a state alchemist, right Ed?" The excitement in his voice brought another smile to Ed's face. Seeing him nod Al runs down the rest of the steps and to the door.

"To Central Al, we're going back." Ed whispers to himself.

Winry's eyes shook a little and slowly became a little glazy from tears that began to swell up. She smiles at Ed, though he could tell it was a fake smile and that she really wanted them to stay at this house away from anything that could possibly harm them in any way shape or form.

"Al, you go ahead…" he says patting his brother on the back watching him walk out the door. He closes it behind Alphonse and turns to looks at Winry. Ed was just about the same height as her now, so, Al was taller then the both of them. "Winry… I'm sorry about leaving already, I know you were looking forward to us staying here again.." his voice faded off a little. "But, we just have to do something, it's like a priority." He finishes trying to explain it to her the best way he could.

She nods and her face scrunched up a little. The tears were just waiting to pour out of her and she could feel herself ready to burst. "E-Ed…. I don't want you to go…you or Al. That's why I greet you every morning. To make sure neither of you ran away again." Her lip quivered a little as she spoke. She bit down on it gently not being able to speak any more.

Ed pats her shoulder with his auto mail hand and smiles. "It's not like we wont come back Win. I promise if we're going to be on a long trip, we'll come back and stay here a couple days. Get some rest, we'll call you from Central City." His hand fell off her shoulder and clinked a little. He turns and begins to walk towards the door.

Winry ran up to him and grabbed his hand, turning him around. She hugged him tightly and cried onto his shoulder. Her tears soaking into his jacket a little. "You better come back Ed. If …if you don't I'll find you!" she sounded a little muffled with her face in his arm. Her fist hit his shoulder a few times as she became frustrated. "I'll bring my wrench and I'll hit you so many times…" she cries and pulls away from him. "They'll change your name you know that!" Winry shouts almost laughing a little.

"Oh yeah?" Ed laughs a little as well. "To what?"

"You'll be.." she thinks for a moment then grins a little. "You'll be the Full Metal Idiot!"

He laughs with her, she smiles happily. "So, you're expecting everyone to say 'Hagaren No Baka?'" he asks and opens the door. "You better not have anyone call me that Winry…" he laughs and walks out, closing the door carefully behind him.

She rubs her eyes trying to take away her tears. Falling back, she sits in a chair, staring at the door. "That stupid fool…" Winry says, she was slightly happy.

To be able to talk to Ed again, one on one, made him leaving a little easier to tolerate. The things the three of them used to do when they were younger brought back some good memories. Back when they didn't know much about Alchemy, everything was okay, no troubles at all. Hoehenhiem Elric. Ed and Al's father was who they blamed for Trisha's death. Ed had just met him recently after crossing over to return Al to his former body. Everything had eventually fallen back into place to restore their lives. They were able to discover a way back to this time. Their home.

They reached the train station in twenty minutes by walking. The conductor let them on quickly when he saw Ed and his state alchemist pocket watch. So they got their seats in the middle most part of the train and sat across from each other quietly, gazing out the window. In the distance they could see Pinako's home. Ed thought he saw Winry waving a wrench, almost like she knew they were on this specific train. Alphonse went to sleep in minutes after staring out the window for about ten minutes.

Ed, on the other hand, stayed awake and thought about his, well, his friends I suppose you can say, in Central. Lt. Havoc. Col. Mustang and second Lt. Hawkeye. Major Ross. The only one he had ever really gotten along with was Lt. Colonel Maes Hughes, but he was killed in an accident without Ed and Al knowing. They later found out it was none other then Envy and Sloth that had killed him. His mind was on so much at the moment he thought it would explode. But, when it didn't he relaxed in his seat and closes his eyes listening to the train running across the tracks.


	2. Colonel Mustang and 1st Lt Hawkeye

Chapter 2: Colonel Mustang and 2nd Lt. Hawkeye

The train comes to a quiet stop, as long as you weren't paying to the squealing and chugging of the wheels. Ed opens his eyes and looks at Al. Shoving him in the shoulder, his brother groans and wakes up rubbing his eyes, still a little weary. Ed grins and says, "We're here Alphonse. We're back." Al shot to his feet almost instantly and looks down at his still sitting brother.

Ed stands up and beside his brother. They walk side by side down the aisle and leave the train, hopping off the steps. Central was a big city in the center of all the towns in its area.

It was clean and usually was the home of the State Alchemists. In other words, it was their Headquarters. They walk down the dirt road and stop in front of a large set of buildings. The library was being rebuilt just a ways down. All of the books were being rewritten thanks to a woman who had read every book and remembered every last word in all of them.

They push the doors open and walk in. The first to see them was Colonel Roy Mustang. The Flame Alchemist. With a snap of his fingers he can make a spark then manipulate it into flames._ (Author's Note: If you don't watch Full Metal Alchemist, each character will be introduced.) _"Hey, it's the shrimp!" Roy calls, waving as he came towards them.

Ed's eye twitches and he flips out. "I'M NOT A SHRIMP! I'LL SHOW YOU A SHRIMP! AHAHA! I'LL SHOVE MY BOOT UP YOUR.." Alphonse, who had caught him as he jumped in the air, had covered his mouth quickly. Before he had a chance to say anything rash, he cuts him off.

Roy comes up to them and stands still. "So, it seems you both have gotten your bodies back. You must be Alphonse, in the ….flesh I think I should say?" Roy says to him, becoming curious. Al nods and bows a little, holding his brother to the side.

Al instantly noticed something different about Roy. There was a patch over his eye. "What…happened?" He points to his eye.

"Our so called Fuhrer did that…it seems he was a homunculus." Roy responds to Al's pointing and questioning. "I was shot in the eye." He grins proudly. "Thankfully…"

Riza Hawkeye cuts him off as she walks up to them. "Thank fully I was just outside and came in to take care of his wound." She finishes his sentence and bows forward a little to Ed and Al. "I'm sorry about interrupting you Colonel." Riza whispers to him as she stands up straight again.

"So…who's the Fuhrer now?" Edward asks, clearly he had cooled down after their soft talking and such.

Roy grins proudly and places his hands at his hips. "Not me," he sighs sadly. Al and Ed slap their foreheads. "The new Fuhrer….is no one. There is no Fuhrer. We decided to run the country as a government of State Alchemists' Edward." Roy adds answering Ed and Al's brain fried expressions. Soon enough they nod and agree that what the State Alchemists' decided as a whole must have been the right choice.

Lt. Hawkeye smiles at Ed and Al. "I'm glad to see you back in these parts Full Metal." She says happily. "And I'm happy that we will all get to see what your brother looks like." Riza adds softly as she salutes for a moment then turns and leaves, her hands at her sides, moving in a soft rhythm.

Ed and Al smile and salute for a moment as well as she leaves, turning a corner down the hallway. They drop their arms and turn their full attention to Mustang. "Colonel, I'd like for you to grant the permission to allow my brother take the State Alchemist's exam." Ed says, bowing his head, he made a face at Roy as he continued to look at the ground. He didn't hate Roy; he just hated his dumbass remarks. He feels Mustang pat his head and he growls under his breath. Why pet him? He's not really a dog even though he had earned another nickname. The dog of the state. Everyone knew he took the jobs that other State Alchemists wouldn't take back when he was younger, and seeking out the Philosopher's stone for his brother and himself.

"Fine, Edward. I'll grant your brother permission to take the State Exam. But first you have to do something in return." An evil smirk appears on his face making Al flinch.

Ed looks up and glares at the Flame Alchemist. "What…might that be, Colonel?" he grumbles in annoyance.

An hour later sitting in what seemed like an Alchemist's dorm room. Ed was yelling out furiously. "No! No! No! No! That piece of crap Mustang!" He couldn't believe what Mustang was ordering him to do. It was like blackmail almost. "He's such a damn idiot! How does he know about that!" he moans in irritation as he falls backward and rests on the couch in the living area of the dorm.

"Please brother," Alphonse was practically begging on his knees. "I want to become a State Alchemist just like you!" His eyes suddenly appeared to have floating hearts in them. Ed knew his brother looked up to him…. though he was always literally looking down on him. Since, his being taller and all. They both sigh almost at the exact same time. Al had the feeling Ed was just about to give him and do as Roy had ordered.

Ed groans and sits up, leaning his back against the supporting end of the couch. "Why does he want me to say that though!" he yells demanding an answer. But, no one in the room could answer it. Especially since there were only two people in the dorm. Al shrugs and stares at his brother with puppy dog eyes. "Fine, fine Al! I'll do it, but only because you're my brother." He says still annoyed about what Mustang wants him to do.

The next day, Ed stood up on a table in the State Alchemists' cafeteria. Roy grinning and sitting at a table just across from the one he was on. Alphonse, Lt. Hawkeye, and Lt. Major Havoc sat beside Mustang.

Ed pulls off the gray glove on his right hand. The auto mail hand became visible to everyone in the café. Someone sets a brown cloth at Ed's feet and he looked down at it and sighed to himself. Clapping his hands he brings himself down and touches the cloth. Then he touches himself. A dog costume appeared on him. He sat on the table and looked around, his eyes closed. "I'm the dog of the military. You can call me… Hagaren No Baka." He says softly, and then he looks at Roy and sees him make a gesture to keep going. "And of course, in due to my shortness you can say Hagaren No Chibi." The State Alchemist's in the cafeteria crack up in laughter.

The only people not laughing were Major Ross and 2nd Lt. Riza Hawkeye. Alphonse didn't laugh either, but he was stunned and dumbfounded. He had no idea what Roy told him, he didn't know the complete sentences and such. 'Full Metal Idiot' or 'Full Metal Pipsqueak'. Ed seemed struck with humiliation. He had said all of that just to make sure his younger brother got a shot at becoming a State Alchemist.


	3. Exam

**Chapter 3: Exam **

The Elric brothers' had awoke the next morning rubbing their eyes a little. Al gets out of his bed and knocks on Edward's bedroom door. All he hears is a groan and Al decides to just open the door and walk in. "Brother…" He calls softly trying not to startle him since he was still tired, but not asleep.

"What do you want Al?" He asks smashing a pillow on to his head. "I wanna go back to sleep, my dear brother!" Ed spat in an annoyingly weary tone. Alphonse sighs and sits in a chair in Edward's room. "Get out…" he says softly to Al, but loud enough so that he can hear since his voice was slightly muffled.

"Bu-" Al's plead is cut off in a second.

Ed pulls the pillow off of his head and stares at Al. "Get out of my room…" he pauses as he yawns, "And I'll get ready, okay?" Ed asks to make sure his brother was okay with it. Al nods smiling happily and walks out of the room, closing the door. Standing up Ed changes his clothes, putting on his black pants and black shirt, placing the black jacket, that was outlined in whitish silver, over the shirt. He opens the door that Al had just moments ago closed and Maria Ross offers to braid his hair, since lately, he has been keeping it in a ponytail just as he had when he crossed the gate. "Sure, I don't mind." Was all he said in reply, sounding as tired as ever.

Sitting at a table in what was probably a kitchen was Alphonse, who was talking to Alicia Hughes, she was just about seven now, but that was just a guess made by Ed and Alphonse. Usually Maes Hughes would go on and on about her, how old she was, what she learned and all that stuff. But, not that Maes was dead it left them only to guesses. It was a good thing not to be continuously informed of this stuff, but, they missed Hughes a lot, and they were regretting not being there to help him. It partially was their fault, as it was their 'sin' that killed him.

"Hey there…" Ed says trying to sound cheerful, as he sits down on a chair while Major Ross braided his hair carefully. His greeting was directed towards Alicia. She smiles at him and waves from the table. Al and her were now playing a game with dice and a makeshift game board. He grins and stands up when Maria taps his shoulder to inform him that she was finished. Walking over to Alicia and Alphonse he looks down at the board. Al had landed on 'go back four spaces' about five times in a row. Ed laughs and then notices that Alicia was about ten spots from completing the game and beating Al. "Sorry to interrupt your game, but Al we have to get going," Ed says expressing a slight feeling of sorrow. He hated to have to stop their game. It was the feeling of 'as if she doesn't have enough sadness to begin with' kind of thing.

Alphonse nods and gets to his feet and smiles gently at Alicia. "We'll continue when I get back." He assures her and then follows Ed who was already making his way out the apartment-like room. Catching up to Ed he looks at his stern expression questioningly. "Ed, is something eating at you?" Al asks curiously in concern for his older brother. He simply shakes his head and continues on, his facial appearance still serious. "Your mad about yesterday? Worried even?" He questions trying to get more out of him instead of just a dumb old shake, shrug, or nod.

He stops in his tracks and looks at Al. "Are you going to keep asking me questions?" Ed says asking a question of his own. "If you don't stop you I'll go straight back to the apartment and you can go to take the State Alchemist Exam on your own." His mind was completely on his behavior yesterday. Now he was beginning to regret stooping low enough to follow such stupid orders given by Mustang, just to have his brother take a damn test. "One more question and mark my words, I'm leaving," grunts Ed speeding up his walking pace as people begin to point and call.

"Looks it's the Full Metal Fool!" One man called laughing with his wife.

A crowd of people began to chant, "Pipsqueak! Pipsqueak!" As if it were to be a call to a dog. "It's the Full Metal Shorty…" One of the men in the crowd says pointing at Ed.

Stopping completely Ed turns to glare at them, his eyes almost hidden by the fierce shadows his face was giving off as his anger flared up. "AHHHH!" He yells loudly as if he was in pain. "WHO'RE YOU CALLING A DWARF, RUNT, MIDGIT SIZED IDIOT!" He roars charging at the man fiercely. Al chases after him and holds him back as he flails around trying to kick at the man who had called him short.

"I didn't…say any of that." The man says, half frightened by Ed's ferocious expression, and half taken aback at how Ed had added so many other words for short without even having heard them come from that man's mouth. "I…I'm sorry…" he mumbles and runs off with his crowd of friends.

"THAT'S RIGHT! RUN YOU LITTLE FREAKS! MESS WITH ME AGAIN AND I'LL.." he is cut off by a sudden rush of pain. Ed drops out of Al's grasp and rolls around on the ground.

Hawkeye stared down at him and sighs. She had kneed him hard between the legs to shut him up. "You really are an FMB…" she says laughing jokingly.

"FMB?" Al says becoming reasonably confounded. He hadn't heard that one yet. Since he had basically heard every little hysterical crack that was shot at Ed.

"Full Metal Baka." She replies plainly watching Ed still rolling around on the ground. "I see this puppy has learned a new trick…" Riza says gently then looks at Al. "Your exam is being held in the large courtyard that your brother and Roy fought in a while ago to renew your brother's status as a State Alchemist," explains Riza who was pointing in the direction that the courtyard existed.

He could see it in the near distance. They had definitely fixed it up a lot since that day. It was now surrounded in a large circle by a variety of different trees in order to conceal it from peering eyes. Some of those eyes were most likely ones that they believed had no business in watching what was being held. "Right…" he says softly looking back at Lt. Hawkeye. "I'll be there in a few minutes Lieutenant." Al informs her with joy.

"Good." Was all she said. Al watches her make her way toward the large circular courtyard. Bending over he grabs his brother's hand and pulls him to his feet where he saw him stagger around and swing back and forth in an attempt to keep himself on his feet. The pain must still have been excruciating since he practically waddled to the courtyard yelping every five steps.

Reaching the outer, tree covered area of the circular enclosed courtyard. Ed moaned in pain as they made their way through the trees. One branch Al had pushed out of the way had lunged back and slammed Ed in the same spot Lt. Hawkeye's knee came to impact. "AHHH!" He flung backwards from the branch and landed in a pile of mud. He growled at Al who ran ahead and saw that there where many people who were going to try to become a State Alchemist.

Ed managed to crawl his way to the grass-covered courtyard in immense pain and sprawled across the floor beside Al. "You…I hate you!" he groaned. Ed said this out of pain, and Al knew it. "You sold me out to a needle a while ago! And now you leave me behind! What next my dear brother!" He says in a loud whisper so that his younger brother could hear him.

He shrugs and sighs looking down at the ground to see his brother covered in mucky mud. "Brother…what are you covered in….?" He asks, awaiting his angry response.

His mouth seems to close, eyes narrowed as he stands up to stare at Al. "What….am I covered in…" He repeats. "MUD!" Ed erupts flailing his arms around trying to fight against the pain. "But! Of course everyone will think I accidentally found a present that one of my fellow 'doggy' friends left me, right!" He exclaims purely annoyed by now. Ed was even ignoring the roll of people whose names were being recognized for how great of an alchemist they were or still are.

The names that were announced were: Major General Maes Hughes, Lt. Colonel Roy Mustang, Second Lt. Riza Hawkeye, Edward Elric, Alex Louis Armstrong, Jean Havoc, amongst many more.

Al went through the test answering questions and transmuting things from regular metal such as tools to creating a large statue that can slightly move around on his command. He was informed that he would be given the State Alchemist's pocket watch to help, just like for every other alchemist, his alchemic drive. They explained to him that through the mail he would receive his State Alchemist name. Examples would be: The Crimson Alchemist, The Full Metal Alchemist, and The Flame Alchemist. His would be something to do with what he specializes in. That 'what' were earth and a little bit of water. It was going to be a strange, semi-difficult decision, but the many state alchemists would decide it.

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Please R/R

Thanks:

K40Sohma: Thanks! I'll start on chapter 4...probably later tonight (7/25/05)


	4. The Waiting Alchemist

Chapter 4: The Waiting Alchemist

**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of FMA. All I do own is any new characters that may make appearances.**

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Ed stood in the shower, the water charging down his face as it sped out from the showerhead. Bringing his hands up he runs it through his hair. Mud splashed onto the ground. "Dammit…." He grunts, then leans forward and puts his hands against the wall the showerhead was connected to. Ed looks down at the foam-covered floor. All the soap and water were mixed with mud that had gotten in his boots, on his head, and neck. He couldn't even remember paying much attention to Al's exam. Sighing, he lifts his head up a little. The water was pounding all over the back of his body now that he had leaned forward toward the wall. He had used a whole bottle of soap to get the mud off of his body, since he had scrubbed frantically, he was almost full of scratches.

Standing outside the bathroom door, Alphonse listens to see if he could hear his brother breathing. "B-Brother..." he calls sounding a little worried. Ed looks at the door curiously. "Um…you're not trying to drown yourself in the bathtub because you're upset about earlier…" Al asks hoping that he isn't trying to commit suicide since he was so angry about being left in the mud by him.

His right eye twitches as he responds to his younger brother's question, "W-What…" He exclaimed, his eye slowing it's shaking. "ARE YOU IMPLYING THAT I'M SMALL ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY DROWN IN A TUB?" He exclaims angrily at his brother. Even though he had mentally forgiven him for being left in the forest in pain, and covered in mud.

"N-No…I didn't mean it like that brother!" Alphonse replies quickly waving his hands in front of himself frantically. He walks away from the bathroom door and into his bedroom, sitting in a chair by the window quietly. Placing his hands over his face he sighs and looks down at the ground, hands on his knees now.

Ed walks into the room, dressed now. "I'm sorry about yelling at you Al…" He says, apologizing to his younger brother. Grinning now, he walks to Alphonse and sits in a chair across from him. "What were you really going to ask me?" He questions softly trying to catch Al's eye. "I know you didn't just want to know if I was drowning myself." Laughing as he says this Al looks up and across the room at him.

Smiling at his older brother, he nods slightly. "Yeah…I was wondering…" he began slowly. "Do you think I passed the exam?" Al asks him curiously, sounding a little anxious at the same time.

Standing up now, Ed walks to Al, and puts his hands on his shoulder. "They said they were gonna send the letter right? With the name you'll be give… Obviously you passed it." He grins then laughs, leaving his brother alone in the bedroom. His hair was loose so he puts it into the ponytail that he had kept for such a long time when he was away from his time period.

He leaves the apartment and goes for a walk down the sidewalk. He ended up shouting at about nine people that were lower, ranking wise, State Alchemists. Quickly afterward, everyone left him alone. Entering the cafeteria he grins seeing Roy and Riza. Stopping in front of them he looks up a little at Colonel Mustang. "Hey there Colonel…" He says trying to sound happy. "Did you have fun with humiliating me?" Ed questions sounding a little angered now.

Roy shakes his head and says, "Yes I did." Some alchemists in the café chuckled a little, stifling back the hysteria that they wanted to let loose. Ed's eye twitches. He couldn't find how shaking your head meaning 'no' and then saying 'yes' could make any possible sense. "Look…. Hagaren No Chibi…" he clears his throat quickly seeing Ed become infuriated. "Ahem…I mean Edward… It was just some fun. You should know me by now, I would've let your brother take the test no matter what." Roy waves his hand a little and laughs slightly. "It was just a little joke."

"YOU JERK!" He goes to swing his fist but Riza holds him back.

She sighs. "Ed…. striking Colonel Mustang could get you stripped of your State Alchemist certification. You'd be considered as a lower ranking alchemist, assaulting a harmless higher ranked member of the state." Riza whispers to him, and he wriggles out of her grasp and stands still. "Good Baka…"

He grunts and runs out of the building after having only a short conflict with Roy. Spotting something amazing, his eyes had noticed that they were rested on the miraculously finished, new and improved library. Shesca apparently was able to remember every file, record, and book held there to the 't'. Rushing towards it, he stops in front of a guard. He flashes his pocket watch, and runs past him, and into the library. It was a little furnished this time. A couple sofas here and there, but there weren't any racks of books or cabinets of files. Obviously it was set up the same way. There was a front desk to the left and you'd have to check with the main government officials and get permission to read the most secretive files. Glancing around the library frantically, he sees a box of yet to be filed papers. Running to it he grabs it, and takes the papers, not being aware of what they were, he stuffs them into the inner pockets of his jacket. Just as he had finished, someone had tapped him on the shoulder. He spun around and lets out a deep sigh of relief. "Hey Shesca!" He says trying to sound enthusiastic.

Smiling at him, she waves a little. "Haven't seen you in these parts for a while, Edward." Shesca says, her voice extremely soft as if she believed talking too loud would disturb people that were to come later that day, as they were the only two people there at the moment. "Where have you been? I mean, hasn't Roy told you about the extreme disappearances?" She now sounded fairly surprised. Grabbing his hand, she runs to the door and opens it, revealing to her and Ed the continuous shelves of books, and mountains of cabinets. "We have all of it recorded. Matter of fact, where you were standing, we had some top-secret papers. Something about a better thing then the mythological Philosopher's stone." She whispers to him softly so that her co-workers wouldn't hear what they were talking about.

Ed smiles hearing Shesca add the word 'mythological' before Philosopher's stone. Clearly she had no clue that he had actually forged an actual stone. Then it shot at him, like he had felt a bullet hit the back of his head. He had taken those top-secret papers. They were now in his possession. He could find a way to possibly revive those people that he loved. The ones that he and others lost. That list consisted of: Trisha Elric, Maes Hughes, Winry's parents, and Nina Tucker. Most of those incidents, attacks, or 'experiments' had occurred such a long time ago. But the memory of those people still stayed glued to his thoughts. He wasn't too sure about bringing back Winry's parents; he knew it'd take a lot. But, he knew it was such a hard thing that had hit Winry when it happened.

Shesca waves in front of Ed's face a little. "You okay Ed?" She asks quietly. He merely shakes his head and runs out of the room quickly, without saying anything. "I guess…he's feeling sick. I really wanted to show and tell him about the disappearances. He has to be careful." Sighing she gets back to work.

Ed was running down the street frantically, his arms wrapped around his waist to keep the papers from fluttering out of his pockets. He skids to a stop at the front of the apartment building. He basically charges in and takes the elevator up to their floor. After walking down the hall at a quick pace, he opens the door and steps in, bolting it locked behind him. Pulling the papers from his jacket it scatters them across the kitchen table, which he made sure was clean before doing so. His eyes scanned up and down each of the ten, full, front and back pages of writing. He didn't really pick up on anything but he was just trying to see if any words popped out at him.

Out of nowhere, he is tapped on the shoulder again. He shakes and spins around, jumping on to the table to cover the papers, so that unwanted viewers couldn't see. Though, it turned out to be just an over excited Al, who was holding a paper in his hand. Sliding off the table he looks at his brother, seeming a little confused. It was late at night and usually Al has a hard time keeping his eyes open. _(Author's Note: Yes…time flies very quickly…)_ But tonight, he seemed so happy, and wide-awake.

Seeing the papers he begins to try and look around Ed, who seemed to be desperately blocking his view. "Al, whatcha gotta tell me?" He asks trying to change the subject.

Al seems to snap out of the 'what's those papers' trance and smiles widely at Ed. "I got the letter brother!" he exclaims.

"What'd it say!" Ed was now looking almost as excited as Al. He was very proud of him now, he nearly forgot all about the papers and how to revive people without any consequence. Or…at least something that is presumably better then the stone. "Come on, out with it Al!" He urges him on, the excitement brewing through him.

He looks around shyly, and then at Ed. "I haven't opened it yet…" Ed's jaw dropped hearing this. Waving his arms around in a way of motioning 'open it'. Al nods gradually and then tears the top of the envelope, which was addressed to him, open. Slowly, he pulled out the folded letter on the inside, and tossed the torn envelope to the side. He unfolds the letter and reads it over three times before reading it aloud to Ed.

_To the hand of Alphonse Elric,_

_Congratulations on passing your State Alchemist exam. In order to show you_

_More recognition, we dub you with your new_

_State Alchemist name. This is what you will be called by fellow Alchemists of the state, and what you will be called when you are summoned for missions, on short notice or in advance. This will be like your calling card. You are now called: _

The Producing Life Alchemist.

_You have earned this name for your ability to produce plants, moving statues,_

_And your strengthening ability to one day possibly_

_Produce more then plant life._

_Report to the Main Government building just East of the newly_

_redone Library in Central._

_We will proudly present you with your State Alchemist Pocket Watch to amplify your_

_Alchemic abilities a bit, as well as let you into the_

_Library in Central._

_See you tomorrow at exactly 3:30 P.M._

_Approved, and written by: _

General Haruko 

_Lt. Colonel Roy Mustang_

_First Lt. Jean Havoc_

_First Lt. Riza Hawkeye _

Ed grabs the paper and reads over the exact words Al had just read out loud to him. "It looks like a damn declaration of some kind of independence thing!" He exclaims seeing the signatures. Al laughs a little and grabs the paper, looking at the name he was given. It was neatly printed on the paper. Okay, it wasn't completely neat, as it looked a little like kiddy handwriting, but it was the name he was given and he seemed to cherish it.

Meanwhile, as Al treated the letter like gold, Ed was going on and on about how most of the signatures looked like 'crap'. "Is that General Haruko? Is that what it says?" He says mockingly, peering over Al's shoulder, pointing at the first name. "And Mustang's is so non-unique. Lt. Havoc's handwriting is pretty cool. The best one is definitely Lt. Hawkeye's." He groans and waves his hands around. "They really should work on their writing style." Ed says softly, popping back over to the table.

Ed walks out of the room after congratulating him hundreds of times. He made sure he took the secret papers with him. Something about it made him unsure about telling Al yet. He had to read the papers through over and over again and decide if he should go through with what the instructions are or whatever it says, then share it with his brother.

Entering his separate bedroom, he locks the door. Pulling the papers out from under his shirt he spreads them across the bed in the order they were in when he grabbed them from the box. Ed felt a little bad about stealing it from them, but… he felt he had the right to know what it had written on them. He grabs the first paper and reads it. "Introduction to the Beginning of Time," he mumbles under his breath reading the title of the first page. "Introduction of time? What kind of crap is this…" he questions the papers and the people who wrote it in annoyance. He skims through it, not really paying attention to most of the things typed on it. The second page was titled, '_The Philosopher's Stones' Faults'_. Ed grins and agrees that using the stone definitely has its faults. The next two pages were instructions on three complete, useable, different ways to create the Philosopher's stone. Then he reached the part that must have been the most informative of them all. _'Elixiring Life'_. He pauses and reads the title once more. "Elixir? Wouldn't that be…like a way to continue life or something?" Ed mutters softly. He reads on slowly and his eyes grow wide. Drawing a circle on the ground of his room, it turned out unlike anything he'd ever seen. It wasn't like the transmutation circles he was used to seeing. As this one, was almost as complex as the Human Transmutation circle. But he couldn't quite figure out what it was. The instructions said to place two candles in the center. He did as instructed. Placing his hands on the outer lines of the circle, he closes his eyes. "Please…. do what it says you'll do."

The room glows a dark, opalescent blue and sudden gusts of wind flow into the room, even though the window in his room was tightly shut. He opens his eyes and his hair was flying around from the flowing, rough, breeze. His bed sheets were thrashed about and suddenly, he feels his body slam against his bedroom door. Rubbing his head, he stares into the center of the circle. At first he was completely confused so he crawls to the object cautiously. "Wha…" he mumbles, not even able to finish the word.

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**To Be Continued in Chapter 5!**

**R/R**

**Thanks to those of you who do review this FMAfic. Enjoy reading the reviews. So keep them coming. I wrote this chapter at 2:00 A.M on 7/28 (it was Friday by then…cause…well …it was past midnight…so yeah.) I'm dead tired right now…but I'm sure I'll begin the next chapters of both my fanfics. I'm a little annoyed that the signatures didn't come out the way I wanted them to. Had used different types of script font to make it look 'unique' as Ed so puts it**

**Lucia: I'm glad you enjoyed the previous chapters. But...this is where the little summary begins. Atleast...I think...lol.**


	5. The Mysterious Linking Circle

**Chapter 5: The Mysterious Linked Circle

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Inside the center of the circle sat a medium sized, metal like box. It had a screen and a little board with various letters and numbers and symbols decorated on many buttons. "I…wasted my time…transmuting…. a box…" he groans in annoyance. Crawling over to it he grabs the box and board and brings it out of the circle. He plugged it into an outlet and one side of the box began to glow a bright white and the words, 'Windows 98' popped across the screen. "Uh…" He poked the glowing side that seemed to be like a screen. Suddenly, many icons sat on the left side of the screen. An oval type object with a wire coming out of it was connected to the back of the box. He touches it and the arrow on the screen sails around. He clicks the one that says 'internet' and a white box pops up that reads 'Surfing the web for Idiots." Clicking it he learns how to use the contraption.

"These papers said that the circle would make something called a 'computer'. Is…. this a comp-uter…?" he asks himself then sees the words on the screen saying 'in order to surf the web you need a computer. If you are reading this, you own one.' He couldn't believe how the thorough the instructions were inside this box.

He clicks a link that had read _search _and he began his quest to find what had been written on the papers. A thing called 'Creative Link' was what he was in search for. It was as the paper had said:

_'To find the thing that is more affective then the Philosopher's stone, you must search for it on the object called 'A Computer'. The computer is a metal-based box that was constructed later on in life. Much later. Now that you have constructed the computer, you will be able to search and find all the things you would like answers to. These papers will help with the instructions, but you will be left to find the answers so that you can make use of these instructions.'_

Ed read this again on the papers and got annoyed once more. He did as it said and searched on this box for the thing that surpasses the Philosopher's stone. Apparently he found out that the circle the papers told him to draw up was a linking circle. It allowed you to transmute things by offering something very little. The circle enabled the ability to create things that aren't in his time, but farther along the time line and into others. One paper was completely dedicated to things you can transmute from other timelines and what to offer in order to receive it.

Walking into Ed's room, Al tiptoes over to him and glances down at the box. The screen was still glowing as Ed continued his search. "What are you doing Brother?" He asks curiously.

He got up quickly after rapidly turning the computer off. Ed looked at his brother, seeming a little angry that he didn't knock before coming in. "Alphonse…get to bed. Are you forgetting you gotta wake up early to get to your celebration?" He asks quietly, trying to ignore Al's last question. "Get to bed dammit!" Ed exclaims getting even more irritated then he was earlier.

Al nods and listens to his brother, looking kind of sad as he leaves his room and goes off to his bedroom. He lays in his bed and stares up at the ceiling. "What's brother hiding…?" he asks himself becoming more and more curious by the second.

Slamming his door shut, he locks it many times again. He goes and sits back in front of the computer and stares at the screen. So many designs decorated it. Transmutations circles of the likes he had never seen before. It kept him transfixed for minutes at a time until he snapped out of it and continued his search. Was he chasing another lost cause? Or another pain causing attempt? Could it be, even the slightest chance, that it was all fake? A plain, flat out joke? All of this had raced through Ed's mind, but nonetheless, he continued searching the pages that came up.

There's a thing in life that makes nothing fair. Its called fate. No matter how many times you twist it, and turn it, and tangle it into other people's lives, it'll always turn out the same way. We're fate's spiders, and it's the web. Without it we'd be stumbling into darkness, without anything to guide us along. Imagine a completely, pitch-black night, with no trees, houses, buildings of any sort; nothing whatsoever. Now, think of everything as that web of fate, slowly it all returns to sight. Showing you what you need to know, what you need to see. Even if you can't see the paths, the houses, the buildings, the trees, grass, mountains, and the roads and train tracks, doesn't mean it isn't there to help you along in the journey called 'life'.

Ed stared blankly at the screen seeing a full black circle, as full as the night moon once a month. Inside it were thin, white lines. It was a new, dark type of technology that sprouted from alchemy.

"The Dorai Circle." He whispers to himself quietly. As Edward read over all the notes under the circle he realizes that what he had just seen was the secret, unmistakable, flawless way of reviving the ones you love, creating the things you want and need.

On the web page, in neatly typed letters it read:

_The Dorai Circle once possessed such power to create life. To create many beings of life. Plants and Humans. Although no one really believed its true strengths, the other people who did believe, revived so many lives and created so many wonderful things. It is said that the Dorai Circle alone is more then twenty times more accurately used then the Philosopher's stone. No further offerings are supposed to be given, except something that the person or thing that you are bringing life back to used to use or wear. From doing this, you will allow the clothes to help you recreate the shape of the person in question. It has worked on: All animals, all plants, and all humans._

_Aside from that, the Dorai Circle is said to be a very dark link to things. Especially since Alchemists that lived hundreds and hundreds of thousands of years ago used it. People used to be under the assumption that the Dorai Circle links every domain/realm/world together. No matter where you are, it is able to open and send you back or to a different place that is a part of the unknown. Copy the exact lines as it shows in the picture of the Dorai Circle below. Do all the lines completely straight. Color in the inner band white and the outer black. Make sure with the circles on the inside that the correct spaces are colored in white. Use very thin chalk to draw all the lines of the circle. For the black parts use the darkest black paint you can find._

On a piece of paper, Ed begins to try and draw the circle by hand with a pencil. He couldn't find a way to make the lines completely straight. It seemed almost impossible. These instructions had to be fake. Or… was it used many times by making your first attempt help you draw straight lines? Maybe your first attempt was to be used in order to allow you to just automatically draw the circle. He had know idea how this worked. The last time he used a transmutation circle was when he was trying to return from the gate he had gone through.

Finally he manages to get one of the probably fifty lines straight. He came to the decision that he would draw the lines however he liked then merely clap his hands and straighten the lines so that all he would have left to do was color in the correct spots.

Ed ends up falling asleep on the ground, computer off now. The papers were restacked beside him, as well as his few drawings of the Dorai Circle. He had taken notes as he read what was on the screen earlier in case it wasn't on the ten papers he had taken, or so he didn't have to stress himself out by trying to get back on the computer.

His window slid upward, Ed and Al asleep in their respective bedrooms. A foot touches the floor of Ed's room, and then the other foot follows. Carefully the person walks towards Ed, and takes the papers out from under him, leaving just the drawings and his notes. The person laughs proudly and then swings himself out the window, allowing it to slam behind him.

Ed's eyes shot up quickly and he looked around. Then, he finally noticed it. The papers, the ones he had stolen, were gone from under him. Looking behind him towards the window he sees his curtains on the ground and a small crack in the center of the window. Getting up quickly, Ed runs to the window and looks out it. A person was running down the street, the papers flailing around a little in his hands. He yells in annoyance. Opening the window he stared outside, watching the person run off with his papers.

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**Another chapter finished! Yes! I will begin chapter 10 of my Furuba fanfic Aikyou and when I finish that, I will begin chapter 6 of this. Hope everyone enjoys. If anyone would like to see the Dorai Circle (which is completely made up by me) I can send you a pic I drew of it on Paint. It doesn't look half bad,lol.**

**Thanks/Comments:**

**Lucia: Thanks again! I'm glad to see that you're enjoying this. For some reason I feel like I'm typing a humorous adventure mystery FMA fic. But it's turned out great so far.**


	6. Stalking A Stealer

**Chapter 6: Stalking A Stealer

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**

Disclaimer: I do not own FullMetal Alchemist. But I do own any OC's that may show up.

I will not be going on hiatus for this story, probably ever. I only stopped 'Aikyou' for a few days cause I type really long chapters on that one, and I gotta give my fingers a break. So have no fear to those of who that review Aikyou.

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Flinging himself out the window, Ed lands sloppily on the night floor outside. The moment his legs were able to move again he went running in the direction he saw the thief running in. His anger was at a point where it had become indescribable. There was no stopping him now that he was running as fast as he could.

In sight range, Ed could slightly make out a shadowy figure running quickly down the street then slip into an alleyway. Sliding to a stop, he runs down the same opening on the street and looks around frantically. Then, out of nowhere, a black clothed person lands in front of him. From head to toe this person was covered in black everything, he or she even had a black mask that only left their eyes visible. Catching each other's eyes, Ed runs at the person and takes him or her down. Grabbing hold of the mask he yanks it off fiercely.

His eyes grew wide. Jumping away from the person he stares at him in complete disbelief. "Ya…. You're the one that broke into my room…." He stutters in utter confusion. The male nods and grins, pulling himself to his feet seeing Ed's puzzled expression following his movements. "Why…would you do that?" Full Metal asks curiously, trying to get over the shock. "How could you do that, rather?" He questions attempting to get more then one answer out of everything that was happening.

The person stared at him, and a smug grin leaped on his face. "Edward… it has nothing to do with my alliance, okay?" He says to Ed quietly, the papers rolled up in his pockets. Half of the set on each side.

Ed shook his head and glared. "I never said anything about alliances! You're making me really suspicious!" He yells, stomping one foot in front of him, trying to seem intimidating.

The only response he gets from the man who was just a couple inches taller then the older Elric brother. Staring back at him, trying to return the glare. Suddenly he blinks and turns around. "I'll be seeing you tomorrow Full Metal." He waves with his back to Ed and begins walking, the papers still in his possession. "And from now on, don't steal from the Library, we're not complete idiots, Ed." The man adds as he reaches a turning point in the alley.

"WAIT COLONEL!" Ed exclaims running after him. The eye-patch on Roy was gone; it had been replaced by complete stitches. It looked entirely disgusting, but he guessed it made it seem better then an eye-patch.

Mustang turns around and stares at Ed who was breathing heavily just behind him. Sighing, he nods meaning that he was free to say whatever he liked.

Clearing his throat a little, Ed begins, "Colonel, you have to give me those papers. I'm so close… I know I can revive the people in my life that I've lost. All I need is a little--." He is suddenly cut off, clearly he wasn't exactly free to say anything he wanted now, possibly Roy had had a change of decision.

"Time, Edward? Is that what you were about to say." Roy says quietly, and then looks directly at him to stare at him with his one eye. Seeing Ed gulp, he continues on with what he was getting ready to say, "Ed, you've had so much time. I'd love to give you more time to do what you want with these papers. But it can't be done." A sincere look spread across his face carefully. "The truth is, we're not completely sure what these papers say, are true? You understand? We don't know if any of it will--." Suddenly he found himself getting cut off this time by none other then Ed.

"IT DOES WORK COLONEL!" Full Metal exclaims desperately. "I transmuted something I never knew about. It works. The strange circles. The instructions. All of it is useable. I will, get those papers from you Colonel," his expression had now completely changed. He was dead set on retrieving the papers that he stole that were actually re-stolen from him. Nothing was going to get in the way of him and those papers now. If he didn't get them back and complete his new research, he'd never know if it was worth it or not. Even if doing what he wanted would mean he would lose his state alchemist certification. Steadily, he got into a readied fighting stance, and stared at Roy.

In almost complete shock, Roy stands still. Pulling the papers from his pocket he slips them into a plastic covering. Placing it on the ground not to far from them, he looks at Ed, and slips into his stance. Which was actually only him standing upright and ready to snap the fingers of his gloved hand. Suddenly, Ed charged at him. His fingers snapped and a ember of flames shot at Ed. Jumping and landing into a roll, Ed sweep kicks Roy to the ground, and claps his hands. Running his left hand over his right auto mail arm, a blade forms on the top of the arm as usual. "Now… Colonel Mustang… give me back those papers. I'll return them when I'm finished with them." Ed says almost as an order, his left hand outstretched and open right near Roy's face.

Staring at Ed in utter disbelief, he reaches to his right and grabs hold of the plastic covering that was holding the papers. He tosses them at Ed. Once they get into his hands, Ed claps his hands once more and touches his right arm, the blade vanishes. Walking away quietly, elder brother Elric held the plastic casing at his side.

Jumping to his feet, Roy ran at Ed and yanked the papers from him once more; that was twice in one night. In an instant, he began running as fast as he could. Snapping his fingers at the entrance of the alley way so that a large wall of fire would rise to stop Ed from getting out too quickly.

Minutes later, Ed found a way out of the barrier Mustang made by jumping back and forth between the walls and above the fire. Looking around wildly, Ed slams his auto mail fist against the nearest wall. A large dent was there when he pulled his hand away. He stuffs his hands in his pockets and slowly trudges back to the dorm room feeling as if he completely failed. Edward Elric had let his guard down when he felt too secure. The feeling of recapture had run through him the moment he began to walk away, once more, with the papers. Roy Mustang had out done him again. How many times had Mustang been the cause of something that annoyed the hell out of Ed? Then again, how many times in the last few days? First, he called him short the moment he spotted him and Al. Then after that, he had to dress up as a dog and call himself an idiot and a pipsqueak. And now, not too long after all of that, he had the upper hand and it was taken right from him. Roy was like some kind of barricade that always knocked him down, over and over and over again. It was as if he would never win against him. Almost as if it was useless even trying to make an attempt.

Opening the door to the building his apartment room was located in, Ed groans seeing that the elevator had been shut down for the night. He went up the stairs and opened the door by transmuting a bobbing pin. Sliding it into the lock of the doorknob, he picks it and walks in, relocking it behind him so that picklocks would no longer be of any use.

Reaching his bedroom door, he gazing in, rubbing his eyes. Sitting before the computer in the center of his small room was Al. He seemed to have learned how to use the computer and stuff quicker then he, as he could see that he was already reading every link that Ed had skimmed over. On the ground, to his complete surprise, was a dark black circle, with precise, straight, white lines. The circles bands were colored perfectly. The smaller circles within that large circle were colored at the correct angles and spots. It, to his joy, was the compete Dorai Circle.

Ed ran to his brother and slid to a stop on his knees beside him. "Alphonse!" He exclaims sounding a little annoyed, but some how proud.

Turning his head, he falls to the side in fright. "Br…Brother… I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have been looking at your research. I … I was just so curious about what you were doing." Al says, bowing his head many times to his brother before feeling Ed's hand stop him.

"It's okay Al… I'm… just amazed that you made the circle…" then he groans a little, "In my room no less…" They both laugh a little and sit on opposite sides of the circle. Al grabbed a photo of his mother and grabbed the old loincloth he used to wear when his soul was bound to the armor. The loincloth had once been something of their mother's. Therefore it had a very good chance at working with the transmutation.

Grinning at each other across the circle, Ed claps his hands and touches the outer band of the circle. Al closes his eyes almost in prayer, and touches the outer band of the circle nearest him. A black lightning bolt shot from their ceiling and slammed into the center of the circle, hitting their offerings. Purple and Black lights flash all around the room, consuming their bodies almost instantly.

The lights sprouting from their apartment room were visible to those of who were at the main government building. Their window cracked and shattered, the glass dropping to the ground outside. Moments later, tornados began to tear all around the area that Central City occupied. It was creating its own type of a little fence around Central. Then suddenly, it all stopped.

All the black and purple flashing lights that the circle produced, all of the roaring winds that created the tornados, and of course all the crashing windows that the fierce winds had caused. There was now complete silence. Ed and Al's eyes flicker open since they were practically forced to shut them from the flying shards of glass that was once the bedroom window.

Their attention went directly to the circle. They still couldn't see anything. A purplish mist was covering the circle from the second band to the dead center. Both of them rubbed their eyes and waited for the mist to clear away.

Ed blinks, and quietly mumbles, "Please…. Please work." It wasn't quiet enough for Al not to hear.

Suddenly, to boost complete energy to their weary, almost bloodshot eyes, the mist was sifting through the air. It was disintegrating before their eyes. Did it work? Was it all done correctly? Had Al and Ed forgotten to do something that the instructions told? All they knew now, was nothing. They'd have to wait to receive those answers when the mist vanishes completely. The both of them wouldn't know if they totally screwed up, or succeeded beyond compare.

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Thanks:

**Lucia: Thank you for yet another review. I'm glad to see that you're enjoying it that much. You're like this stories personal reviewer. (laughs)**

**YamiCori: Thanks. And thanks for pointing that out, but I know that, lol. It may seem a little confusing, but Ed - in this fanfic at least- had yet to mentally give up on bringing his and Al's mother back. Though they wanted to return to their original bodies first. Now that they have done that, Ed feels the need to explore the things that he knew had to come second. So… the fanfic is kinda set up like that. Though it has a deeper plot.**

**Comments:**

Yet another chapter for this idiotic story (that was a play on words since the title has the word idiot in it, believe me, I love this story.) I think its kinda hard not to like the things you write. Cause then that means you don't like your ideas. I don't know, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Especially you Lucia, since you're the person who has been reviewing all my chapters so far, haha.. I think it came out the way I wanted.


	7. Results

**Chapter 7: Results…**

It wasn't long until they realize that nothing was in the middle of the circle. Nothing. The clothes they offered were even gone. They produced nothing through the circle. As hard as it was to draw and as hard as it was to understand, they created it. But they got nothing in return for their hard work. It was beginning to show them that equivalent exchange was not the same when it came to the Dorai Circle.

Ed sighs and stands up, walking towards his bedroom door and opens it for Al. His younger brother got up and left the room without saying another word. Closing the door behind his brother, Edward trudges to the wind and claps his hands to repair it. After doing that he goes over to his bed and lies down, slowly drifting to sleep.

The morning came quickly as if the sky dreaded the time its beautiful sky is transformed into a blackish blue blanket with tiny stars. Ed groans and rubs his eyes as he enters the bathroom. Slowly, he brushes his teeth and hair. He puts it into a ponytail and walks into the kitchen where Al stood, waiting at the door like a puppy that was dying to be taken out for a walk. A happy smile was almost drawn onto his face as he follows Al out the door, he couldn't help but be proud of his younger brother.

Exiting the apartment building quickly, they head off in the direction of the main State Alchemist Government building. Ed shows a fierce annoyed looked as he and Roy met eyes as they walked into the room where the celebration was to be held. They took their seats, Roy making sure he sat across from him at the other end of the room.

General Haruko got to his feet and approached a podium that was just in front of him, Roy, Riza, and Armstrong. The other many alchemists were sitting on the sides of the rooms in their uniforms, except for Edward who was dressed in the clothes that he used to wear when he was younger, only it was remade to fit him. It was the red outfit. Haruko began at a high tone then his voice got softer as he spoke, "Attention! Today… is an amazing day where we give an incredible Alchemist state certification. That Alchemist, is Alphonse Elric. The Producing Alchemist." He looks at Al and smiles, "Come up here…" Haruko says quietly.

Al slowly gets to his feet and walks over to the podium. As he approaches it, Haruko steps off a little stand and comes to him, pulling a pocket watch out from his coat pocket. Handing it to Al, he smiles. Al quickly accepts it and bows his head gratefully. Haruko turns to look at almost everyone else. "Everyone… Alphonse Elric… is going to be dubbed as The Producing Alchemist. Those of who that are his superiors are allowed to call him by his real name, and only his superiors." The General stops and pats Al on the shoulder as he straightens up.

Getting to his feet suddenly, Roy exits the room and walks up a staircase to the second floor of the building. Ed walks up to Alphonse and congratulates him hundreds of times before leaving the room to tail Roy. He stops at Roy's office and peeks through the partially open door. There was a woman with brown hair and a state alchemist's uniform on sitting in a chair. They were talking about something that he had missed the beginning of. All he caught was, "Yeah… when we get to use them, we'll show the world who we really are…." Ed slams himself against the wall in utter shock. Quickly, he runs back down the stares so fast that by the time Roy left the room there wasn't even the slightest feeling that someone had been there watching and listening in.

Reentering the room where the celebration was being held, he sees Al walk out of a little room dressed in the state alchemist uniform as well. He smiles and gradually, the feeling of anger and grief left his body. Stepping towards his brother he shakes his hand proudly. "Good job Al…" He says happily. Al pulls him into a hug and thanks him many times for allowing him to have the opportunity to take the exam for the first time after thousands of times asking.

They un-embrace and a happy smile crosses each of their faces. Slowly, Roy walks in and stares at everyone after receiving confused expressions. "Yes?" He asks getting the feeling of irritation in him.

General Haruko sighs and walks up to Roy. "Colonel… it was a big celebration for Edward's brother. You should have showed the both of them respect. Ed even left the party to find you…" His voice trails off seeing a slightly angry expression on Roy's face. "Somethin' wrong Colonel?" Haruko asks curiously trying to examine his face.

Shaking his head he walks over to Ed and pulls him to the side. He grabs him by the collar of the shirt and slams him against the wall. Everything went quiet as Roy's angered face moved closer to Ed's almost clueless one. Al watches in complete confusion, he had no idea what was going on. "What were you doing following me Edward!" He says in a screeching whisper to only Ed who practically had a hard time hearing as well.

A slight grin crosses Ed's face even though he was having a pretty hard time breathing with Roy's left hand at his throat and his right hand gripping his red jacket collar tightly. "Someone's… a little defensive today… eh Colonel…" his voice was raspy as he began to gasp for air a little. "What are… you hiding… Mustang?" Ed questions spitting at Roy's face.

Ed's saliva drips down Roy's face slowly. Dropping Ed to the ground, Roy wipes the spit off his face with his gloved hand. He glares at Ed and kneels down to look at him. Ed was quietly gasping for air as if it were a sin. "You really are the Hagaren No Baka aren't you Edward…." Roy pronounces to him softly so that he didn't get the pleasure of embarrassing him in front of every single last one of the State Alchemists that had shown up. "You probably heard a little bit of what I said, and you're making a big deal out of something that was probably nothing." He adds quietly and meets his eyes, a sly smile on his face, "What did you hear me say _HNB_?" Roy asks putting strong emphasis on the nickname segment.

Smiling as though he knew he finally had Roy caught, Ed responds quietly, " You said something about showing the world who you and that woman really were! What's that suppose to mean, _Colonel!_" He places the same emphasis as he speaks his rank.

Roy sighs and stands up kicking at Ed's auto mail leg gently so that he doesn't hurt his own foot. "Edward… you shouldn't eavesdrop… if you can't get the facts straight. We were talking about showing the world that we were the best of the best in alchemy." He says plainly and looks down at Ed.

Struggling to his feet, Ed gets in Roy's face. "Yeah… and how are you gonna show the world Colonel!" He says loud enough so that Riza –who was just behind Roy- could hear.

She continues to listen to their conversation, curious about what their quarrel was on the subject of. Her arms were gently folded across her chest as she glares at the back of Roy waiting for him to respond to Edward.

"Look, you Full Metal Idiot…. The state is the government now; we can make a big announcement and have some sort of contest. Plus, we have the papers you stole. We can become known by creating the circle…." Edward quickly cuts him off.

"IT DOESN'T WORK! THE DORAI CIRCLE IS A FAKE!" Ed storms past the both of them, saying 'bye' to Riza and Maj. Ross before leaving. Al was following quickly behind Edward.

Inside the building, everything was quiet. Movement was beginning to be something that was rare. Finally, Riza stares at Mustang and slaps him across the face. "You should listen to those boys for once Colonel…. You may learn something about being trustworthy and having faith in things that are false." She walks away leaving the building through the same door as Ed and Al. Everything –once again- was quiet as if someone had just died. Mustang rubs his face a little, his eyes wide in shock.

Moving quickly down the street, Ed and Al head into the apartment building their room was in. Going upstairs hurryingly, they enter their room and head to their respective bedrooms.

As Ed walks into his bedroom, rubbing his eyes he lays on his bed. Lying on his side, eyes closed as he faces the direction of the circle that was completely useless, he rests his head comfortably on his pillow. He sits up, keeping his eyes shut since he was way to lazy to open then he takes the red jacket off and tosses it to the side. Normally, he'd hear the sound of it plopping to the ground in the middle of the room, but this time it sounded much more like a gentle _Swip_. Sighing he stands up and opens his eyes, they grew large and he fell back onto his bed, crawling backwards keeping his eyes on the center of his bedroom. He backs into the wall in shock, surprise, and fright.

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**Another chapter began and finished! WooT!**

**Special Thanks to:**

**Lucia:** Thank you once again! I'm glad you enjoy stories like this! Please continue to read and review.

**WriterToTheAngels:** I'm happy that you like that scene. It made me laugh a little too, I tried to add more depth the way the characters speak and stuff. Wow! I'm u think I'm ur favorite author? Wow... thanks...lol. If you like Fruits Basket I am in the middle of typing 'Aikyou'. So... if you like Furuba then I hope you'll enjoy that. Other then that, I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as the others!


	8. The Sight of Truth

**Chapter 8: The Sight of Truth

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**I'm sorry it took me so long! With the ending of Aikyou and having to create a sequel, as well as school, I didn't have time to type this chapter! Here it is though!

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Ed continued to stare at the eerie human formed that sat nimbly in the center of his room. Even though his eyes showed his fright on the inside the feeling of amazement and joy filled him. His heart was tripling its beat due to the shifting emotions within him. He allowed the words to slip as kindly as he could without making it sound impolite, "Are you real!" After seeing the expression on the human's face, he watched it stand up and approach him. The face on it was that of a young woman who's heart was once filled with sorrow. As she tried to get closer to him, her left arm began to extend outward, her hand open to touch his face, and then, a barrier instantly zapped her fingers. She withdraws her hand and shook it feeling the tingling sensation. Edward looked at her, his eyes wider then ever. He couldn't believe it.

After contemplating for a moment he leapt off his bed and jumped at the young woman, hugging her happily. "Mother…" his voice was raspy and almost inaudible. She brought her hand up and ran it down the back of his head. "I…." He swallowed before continuing so that he could be heard, "I have to find a way to break the barrier of the circle…"

Trisha Elric smiled at her grown son lovingly. "I'm…just happy to see you again Edward. You look a little like your father." Ed looked half happy and half annoyed at hearing this. He wanted to be himself, not look like anyone; the happy part was that if he did look like his father it would make his mother even happier. "Where is your brother Edward? Is he okay? Is he safe?" Suddenly she became a little panicky asking questions, sometimes repeating previous ones.

"Don't worry mom, he's safe. He's in his room. I'll get him shortly. Just relax a little." He sighs after saying this and glances around them, examining the Dorai circle. Finally, he was shown the real power of it. The circle truly wasn't a fake. There was most likely a set amount of time for searching for the soul and allowing the body to materialize before it produced the object at which was requested. "First off, I have to find a way to break this barrier. That way, you can walk freely with us!" He whispers, practically screeching as he spoke.

She appeared to shake her head slightly, but Ed wasn't completely sure. When she spoke though, he became aware that she did shake her head, "Don't do that now Edward. Don't waste all your energy on something as un-needed as this." As he began to open his mouth, she swiftly lifted her hand and covered it. "No talking back, okay? Just get your brother." A bright smile shifted onto her face, "I can't wait to see how much young Alphonse has grown." The excitement in her voice was soft, but completely noticeable. Because of this, Ed left the room immediately, assuring his mother that he will retrieve his brother.

Reentering the bedroom Ed places his hand over Al's eyes so he couldn't see who was waiting for him in the room. Carefully removing his hand from his face when they were at least a yard away from the center of the room, Al blinks momentarily and finally focuses and the figure sitting patiently in the middle of Ed's bedroom. After realizing who it was, he looks down and stares at the circle and then glances at his older brother. "Ed….It…I thought you said it didn't work…But it did!" Al had the sound of excitement in his voice more then Ed had when he noticed this.

Trisha extended her arms wanting to receive a hug from her youngest child. Al sees this and runs to her, and engulfs her in a powerful embrace. She smiles happily and rubs Al's back. "It's so good to see you both again. I wish I had never given up hope…Maybe…I would've lived longer…" her voice fades away when Ed walks towards them, looking down at the ground.

"Don't say that… it's…just good that everything is back to normal. It wasn't your fault." His voice was as soft and calm as possible. The worst he could do at this moment was to frighten his mother.

Edward stares at his mother blankly, tears gently strolling down his cheeks. He quickly wipes them away and drops to his knees hugging his mom as well. "I missed you so much." His voice was muffled but she understood what he said perfectly. Tears began to drip down her cheek as she saw her sons' break down in tears.

Al smiles at them, the droplets hitting the ground with light splashes. He pulls out of the embrace gently, just as Ed began to do the same. "We...brought you back…Just as we wanted all along. To bad we didn't learn about the Dorai Circle earlier right brother?" he asks Ed sounding very happy about finding the strange circle.

He shoots his brother a glare and sighs. "Yes…unfortunate that we didn't find it earlier." Edward agrees as he attempts to vanquish the glare in his eyes. Al couldn't understand why he was acting so angry with him mentioning things from their rough past.

"What happened to you boys? What occurred on your first attempts to revive me?" She asks curiously. Trisha watches Ed pull up his right sleeve and reveal the shining iron of the auto mail. "Oh my…" her voice trails off quietly as she places her hand on Ed's auto mail right arm. "How could this happen?" She asks looking back at Edward and then at Al, and back to Ed again.

Al and Ed sigh gently. "Human Transmutation." They both huffed out, now rubbing the back of their heads and looking at the ground.

Their mother stares at them dumbfounded and looks at the ground and back at them as if she was going to speak once more to voice out her opinion on something.

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Once again, I am extremely sorry about not updating this story for quite a while! ;; I hope all of you enjoy nonetheless. R&R. 


	9. Norai Dorai

**Chapter 9: Norai Dorai

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****Just watched the newest FMA episode and I started to crack up at the end where they showed Wrath. He's double-toned! Lol! Okay...here, go read…be merry!

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Trisha spoke smoothly, leaving them with no worries, "Human Transmutation is forbidden." She was looking down as she spoke, but Ed and Al were sure to keep a short, mental link with her. Her head slowly lifts up and she meets their gentle eyes. "You look more alike then you realize." Trisha says this quietly so that they were not to hear it. "You attempted such a horrible feat, just to revive me. It cost you your arm Edward." Her voice trails off, full of fervent sorrow.

Al speaks up clearly not wanting to keep anything hidden from their once fallen mother, "It wasn't just his arm mother…" He looks at his mom completely, Al was suddenly afraid to say anymore.

"He lost his body…and I used my leg as an offering to place his body in a suit of armor" Ed says, finishing the sentence Al was eventually going to say. Their mother began to express the look of sadness and shock. They were shaken by their own words, yet Edward continues on, ignoring the painful memories, "After much…._ traveling_ we forged the philosopher's stone. I brought Al his body back, but got consumed by the gates…. the _vortex_," some words he delicately began placing emphasis on, but others, he spoke plainly, attempting to show how insignificant most of their journey was.

Al cuts in to continue the story, "I eventually rescued Ed from the World War II era, whatever that really was, and brought him back with much difficulty. During the times subsequent to returning, Winry and Auntie Pinako housed us. Finally, Ed decided to bring me to Central City –our currently location- and allow me to try out for a spot in the State Alchemist's brigade. For the duration of that time –after coming here- brother smug-." Ed nudges his elbow into Al's side, "Brother found these papers explaining how to create the Dorai Circle."

At the mention of the Dorai Circle, Ed blinks several times. Something had come to mind but it wasn't quite clear. There was something about the name. There was a word he was slowly recalling. **_Notama…. Noral…_** His thought process gradually stops until he finds himself blinking hundreds of times. **_Norai…_** What significance did that word actually serve? Was he only remembering it at the moment because he read it from that computer screen? It was clear in his mind how crisp the letters leapt across the screen as the page loaded up. **N-O-R-A-I.** Each letter had hit the screen earlier with a slight click.

"May I be excused?" he asks sounding extremely serious.

Trisha looks at Edward and nods in reply. Watching him jump to his feet, she couldn't help but become curious about what made Ed leap so quickly.

Ed dashes out the bedroom door and slips down the hall as he runs to the kitchen table. He looks under the chairs and the around the refrigerator. Abruptly, he spins around and runs back to the table. He flips it over and stares wondrously at the underbelly of the table. An excerpt was engraved on it. It was carved by Edward as a reminder of the strange word.

'_Dorai Norai- The Cancellation of the activation. Retrieving of the information. Cutting of the received info. In short, this is a chant used to cancel out the barrier covering the outer boundaries of the Dorai Circle. Remember the chant and clapping motions. Whisper the words: Kadokawa Norai Dorai, canclation ti tari Norai. The meaning of these words is: **Gateway of the Dorai Circle, release. Cancel the revealed boundary. **_

The letters were strangely neat for Edward, who was actually in a hurry the day he engraved it. His lips mouthed the words 'Kadokawa Norai Dorai,' even though it wasn't the entire chant. Stumblingly, he walks back down the hallway, approaching his room with swift movements of his legs and feet. He opens the door with practically no large force and enters the room. For some reason his energy was draining from him; dissipating before his mind's eye. He drops limply beside his mother, who, was still contained by the Dorai Barrier.

Al looks at him with a passionate sense of worry. The feeling was the same with Ms. Elric.

Ed weakly presses his hands against the outer rim of the circle that was imprinted upon his bedroom floor. He closes his eyes, concentrating every last ounce of his energy into his entire channeled, alchemic powers. Opening his mouth he mutters, "Ka-do-kawa…" he inhales deeply, catching his breath, "Norai Dorai…cahn-clay-tion ti tari Norai." The words drip out coolly and he falls forward.

A soft hand drops onto his shoulder and shakes him carefully. He finds his eyes flickering open and flopping around the room trying to lock his focus on just one thing. Almost instantly, his right hand whips up and touches the hand on his shoulder. The auto mail fingers wrap around the hand gently as he slowly gazes upward. His mother's hand was touching him. Her arm was crossing over the outer layer of lines on the Dorai circle. Though the barrier wasn't completely gone, she found it easy to keep her arm on the 'outside world'. The only thing she felt from the barrier was quick tingling and soon enough…it stopped.

She pulls her hand out of his and gets up, stepping out of the circle slowly. The moment her foot hit the plain, boarded floor, she drops to her knees and lifts Ed to his own knees to hug him tightly. Then, she glances at Alphonse and smiles. "Come 'ere Alphonse." She calls sweetly.

Upon hearing this, Al drags himself slowly to his revived mother and hugs her, as well as his brother. Disrupting this moment was a sharp knocking sound at the apartment room's front door. Ed, Al, and Trisha abruptly glance in the direction of the hallway, curiously. Who it was, they didn't know, but their new goal came quickly, they were going to have to hide their mother quickly, for many knew that Ed and Al's mother had passed on.

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**Here is chapter 9. I'm still very sorry about not updating this fanfic over the last month.**


	10. Broken Sight of the Beholder

**Chapter 10: Broken Sight of the Beholder****

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**And walah...Chapter 10.Finally. I hope everyone enjoys. And... I can't help but wonder why no one reviews this story...but..it gets quite a lot of hits,lol. PLEASE R&R.**

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The knocking continued to ring through their ears as Al scurries around the room trying to find an adequate hiding place for his once fallen mother. Ed just lay practically motionless at his mother's side since all his energy was drained from the unlocking chant that he spoke so calmly earlier. He slips away from his mother's embrace and hits the ground quietly beside her, his arm across her lap. With worry, she looks at him and places her hand atop his head gently. A weak smile slips across his lips and he nods slightly.

As the knocking subsides a loud shattering sound fills the air that was occupying Ed and Al's apartment. Many footsteps are heard scampering around the rooms, and things becoming upheaval and objects being tossed transversely through the hallways. These sounds all came suddenly and it instantly frightened the three of them.

Al couldn't think of what to do. There was nowhere they could hide their mother now. Soon enough the intruders will be barging into their small sanctuary and either tearing them to shreds or questioning them. He wasn't quite sure what was to become of them if he weren't to think fast, but he had to contain his saddened imagination and come up with something. Glancing around the room impulsively, he spots not even the slightest bit of hope. Was their life going to end within seconds of seeing their mother again? Is the Dorai Circle's only faulting reaction to send people after you? Was it even a possibility that familiar enemies were again chasing them?

The doorknob of Edward's bedroom twisted and turned recklessly before momentarily stopping and turning again. The door gently slid open forwardly revealing, through the crevice, a shadowy figure.

Ed jerks to his side and glances at the door with a defeated expression. He couldn't come up with anything with almost no time to think. His left hand drifts over the outer rim of the Dorai Circle and he groans quietly under his breath. He coughs gently and rolls onto his stomach. The door was gradually opening even more and the dull light from the kitchen was shining in. He still couldn't come up with anything; he'd drawn a complete blank.

Al crawls over to the door slowly and leans against the wall as it continues to creep open. He stands up and allows the door to hit him making it seem as if it had hit the wall. Clearly though, the person trying to open the door didn't take the slightest belief of this because the door was only open a few inches. Who could fit through that small spot? It was nearly impossible, but it gave Edward a few extra moments of time to concoct a plan, even if it were to not work.

The door swings open, full force now, and the doorknob slams directly into Alphonse's gut. He gasps for air, and then covers his mouth as an attempt to continue concealing himself.

Edward, the moment the door was completely open, swung his body around in a swift motion, and managed to tap his left foot on the edge of the circle, curl himself out of that awkward position, and launch himself at the figure. His hand hit the corner of a wall as he came at the person and an illuminating flash of light covers everything almost blindingly. The figure stumbles backwards instantly, rubbing their eyes within seconds. The other people that were inside ran around in circles like they were mice with their heads chopped off.

He falls to the ground with a loud thump and stares at the staggering figures that were now entering his room. Their arms were flailing around wildly and they all ended up hitting each other. There were three of them, all lying down on the ground now, eyes stinging uncontrollably. Edward couldn't understand how he had pulled that off, nor how it didn't cause any type of harm to the three members of the Elric family. It truly was an amazing sight, especially since the figures' couldn't see anything whatsoever.

As Ed staggers to his feet, he finds that his right arm his hanging more limply at his side then his real arm. When he lifts his left hand and slides it over the spot where the joining of the auto mail and skin existed, he allows his left hand to gradually slip into a large tear between them. He groans feeling one of his fingers tap against a nerve. Even though he wasn't harmed by that white, blinding light he had managed to injure himself in another way. Their sight was broken, and so was his arm.

Glancing at Alphonse now, Ed notices that he is tightly holding his chest and lying across the floor, just behind the door. "Dammit…" Ed manages to grunt out through all his pain. He looks at his mother hopefully, and there she sat, just outside of the Dorai Circle, completely safe. Weakly smiling at her for a split second, Ed stumbles a few times as he approaches Al's body. "I'm…so stupid." He mumbles under his breath as he kneels down beside his younger brother. Placing his right hand on Al's shoulder, he begins to gently shake him, hoping that he wouldn't have to wake him up any other way. When he sees Al's eyes flutter open a small grin crosses his face and he gathers Al's hand in his own left one, pulling him steadily to his feet.

"Brother…." Al winces as he feels a sudden rush of pain surge throughout his body. He lets out a gasp, hoping to gather air up so that he could breathe normally. "Are you okay?" he asks his brother curiously, trying to not pay attention to his own injuries.

"Al…. you shouldn't be asking me about my health…when it's just a loose bolt." His mother laughs quietly and Ed looks at her curiously with a soft grin. Looking back at his brother, he shakes his head and manages to place a large smile on his face. "You got hit by the door?" He repeats, knowing the answer is 'yes'. Al merely nods waiting for his brother to continue on. "We're all going back to Rizenbul…." His voice was quiet, but was full of seriousness. If they didn't go back there, then Ed's arm can't be repaired any time soon.

A soft smile crosses Ms. Elric's face and then she looks around the room, slowly getting to her feet. "Edward…. who are these people? Why are they after us?" Her voice was as calm as usual. Ed and Al turn around and look at the bodies that were now lying motionless on the floor. The only thing they were sure of about then, was the fact that they couldn't see anything; their sight was broken.


	11. To The Place We Were Born

**Chapter 11: To The Place We Were Born

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**Here is chapter 11, finally. I wanted to postpone writing this for a day because I got the sudden urge to finish a chapter for both Kan Yume (Furuba fanfic) and this fanfic and post them the same day. That way, everyone's happy! . Please read and review! I actually do enjoy reading what you think!

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Their mother stumbles, almost falling into Ed and Al. Clearly, her body was not used to walking any more then she was used to being alive again. As if she read their minds, she asks, "Can one of you two please help me walk again…?"

Al nods and staggers over to his mother, slipping his hand under her arm and wrapping it around to her back. She places her arm around his neck limply for support.

Ed, meanwhile, swings his floppy right arm across his body and claps it against his left hand. Quickly, he drops to his knees, placing his left hand on the ground. A large, blasting blue light shot up around them and it lifted the bodies and tossed them against a wall like rag dolls. Their heads whipped up and metal laces locked around their necks and ankles to hold them in place. With a quick decision more metal locks on their wrists. The three bodies sagged a little, but other then that, the metal lacings were perfect. Gradually, Edward walks towards them, holding his drooping right arm.

After seeing the faces of the intruders, he turns around slowly, looking at the ground. When he walks towards his mother and Al, and looks up, his face is shown to be a pale white. It looked as if he'd seen more then one ghost today.

Before Al or his mother had the chance to ask anything out of worry, Ed says quietly, "We have to go _home._ Al…start packing the stuff, I'll take mom." After finishing his sentence, Ed puts his left arm around his mother and she does the same as before by putting her arm around his neck. Alphonse scurries around the room weakly, gathering up bags and hurriedly putting clothes and items in them. A paper flutters up into the air as he pulls up a shirt. He grabs it and looks at the paper curiously. It was…one of the Dorai Circle's instruction papers. The one Edward was taking notes on.

Stuffing the paper into his pocket, he throws the rest of the items into the cases, and lifts them onto their wheels.

Ed slaps his forehead with his right hand, and then regretfully groans as he feels the impact of the auto mail on his forehead. "Alphonse! Transmute a large carrying case!"

"You baka! We can't take that screen box thing, its way to large!" Alphonse exclaims in disbelief of his brother's request.

His left eye twitches as he hears his brother call him a 'baka'. "Are you implying something my dear brother!" he shoots back at Al angrily. That remark brought back the memories of when he had to dress up as the 'dog of the military' for Roy Mustang in order to have him permit his brother to take the State Alchemist Exam. The most humiliating part of that little show was when he had to call himself a 'Hagaren No Baka' and a 'Hagaren No Chibi.' It angered him beyond compare, the only time he was as angry as this was when they tried bringing their mother back to life when they were far younger and he ended up losing Alphonse in the process.

"Let's go!" Ed grunts far more angered now after recalling the past events. He carefully hands his mother to Alphonse, takes hold of the pulling part of the bags, and drags them across the ground since they have wheels.

Exiting the apartment with his mother and Alphonse, Ed hurriedly pulls himself along, trying to keep his mother concealed. It was extremely hard to do this though because a woman walking with a large blanket on her drew much attention. Especially with her arm around Al's neck to keep her standing on her feet. Even though this pulled the awareness of pondering eyes, they had not the slightest clue of what was going on. So, Ed just instructs them along and brings them to the nearest train station where the train would take them directly to Rizenbul; the place where they were born. They board the train quickly after they reach it and rest for quite some time.

The squealing of the wheels on the tracks awoke the sleeping Ed and he rubs his eyes and the pushes his finger in his ear a little. "Ah…what the hell?" he groans and rubs his eyes once more. The train had already reached Rizenbul. At the sight of this, he gets to his feet in a matter of seconds and wakes up his mother and his one year younger brother.

They all leave the train and Edward pays the ticket fees without a second thought. Hurrying down the dirt path with their mother –who, had regained the ability to walk as well as run- they go in the direction of Winry's house.

Stopping at the door, Ed lifts his left hand and knocks firmly on the door. No answer comes and he knocks once more with a tighter fist. "Maybe…I'm not knocking hard enough…" he mutters under his breath, and for a third time, knocks on the door. After he doesn't hear a sound come from the inside of the house, he walks around the house with his family and stops in the back of it near a fairly large shed.

As he thought, Winry was working on something in the backyard and wasn't exactly listening to what was going on in front of her house.

Winry rubs her head with her hand after removing an oily glove. She was perspiring continuously which gave the three Elric's the impression that she had been working all day. Getting to her feet, she turns around looking at the floor blankly. Ed, Al, and Trisha were staring at Winry from where they stood, awaiting her recognition of their presence. She closes her eyes and looks straight ahead. The heat was getting to her and she was wearing long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, this was so that none of the grease got on to her everyday clothing.

Her eyes flutter open, her hand gently against her forehead like she was trying to keep herself from fainting. At the sight of Edward and Alphonse a gentle smile crosses her face, apparently she was pretty convinced they were just hallucinations. But, when she saw Trisha, she was persuaded into believing that they had done something foolish and came back just so she can fix some part of Edward's body. "EDWARD!" Winry shouts abruptly

Ed stumbles backward, quite startled by her angry reaction. "Y-Yes ma'am?" He mutters worriedly, loud enough for Winry to hear.


	12. Shocked and Repaired

**Chapter 12: Shocked and Repaired

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****Please review! I hardly get any and this fanfic does get quite a few hits! I see reviews as motivation! Without any motivation…I feel like I'm typing for no reason.

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Winry's eye twitches repeatedly as she fixes her eyes on his right arm. It was still hanging limply and his left hand was clutching it tightly as if it were going to fall off if he let go. If he was going that, it gave Winry an extremely good reason to be angry with him. Slowly, she walks towards them, her pant legs making quiet swooshing sounds since she was much more slender then the mechanic clothes she was wearing. Stopping in front of Ed, she grabs his right arm and tosses his left hand off of it so that she can examine the nuts and bolts. She keeps her gloves off as she does this, running her bare fingers over the metal of the auto mail. As she brings her hand up his arm, she reaches the joint. "Take your shirt off Edward…" she says quietly, in a demanding way. He obeys without any type of objection and pulls off his vest then his shirt. Her hand gradually moves upward to his shoulder where the auto mail was connected. It was hanging loosely and you can see some of the broken nerve connections. Ed was able to sense the feeling of nausea come over him as he saw his veins and thousands of broken nerves. Hardly any of those nerves were still connected to the auto mail circuits like they were supposed to be. "How did you get this busted up Edward?" She asks curiously, continuing to run her hand all around the auto mail's cool metal.

He gulps a couple times and looks at her indecisively for a short moment. "I…fell." He says flatly. Winry stares at him with a strongly questioning expression. Ed sighs and looks at Winry, meeting her eyes just barely, "I fell when I tried hitting this guy with my leg in order to exert the energy of the- of a transmutation circle into that person." Her expression lightens as she hears his explanation, but clearly, she wanted to hear more of what was going on while he was in Central City. "While we were there…. I found these…. documents," he says quietly, trying to find the correct word for the papers. "They were instructions ya know? For like…a new type of circle. It's called the Dorai Circle. And that's how-."

Winry cuts him off, "You brought your mother back." After saying this, the three Elric's stare at her quietly, slight saddened. "I'm right aren't I? You used the power of some kind of dark circle…. no… wait…some kind of forbidden circle and to bring your mother back to life!" She exclaims, slightly in outrage. "I can't believe you Edward! You could have created more Homunculi like that! How could you have done something so… so…so, so thoughtless as that? I mean, were you even thinking of possible consequences?" He opens his mouth to interject, but she just continues on, ignoring his attempt, "If you even so much as squeal, I'll cut your arms off!"

Ed swallows hard and so do Al and their mother. He opens his mouth now, after seeing Winry come up for air. "Winry…. you're overreacting! The paper said it couldn't do any harm! It was flawless! The worst it could have done is not work! That's it! You think I don't consider things! You think I don't that I'm grateful that I'm alive, do you. I am okay! I checked for consequences, I searched for any type of mistakes! There was none! And you're just mad that it actually worked! You're worr-."

Just before he gets the chance to say any more, Winry whips her hand around and slams it against Ed's cheek.

He falls to the side and hits the ground, landing on his damaged right arm. Ed lets out a loud scream of agony and rolls around on the ground.

"I'm not worried about you, Baka! I'm worried about your arm! It takes me a long time to make them! Custom, just for you! And look what you do! But them up over and over again. You come back, whine, and beg for another one, and I make it for you because it's my job. Am I even your friend anymore Ed?" She asks curiously, placing her foot at his neck.

Edward looks up at her and grasps her ankle, gasping for air now. "Of…course…you're my friend still..." he manages to say through his gasps for oxygen. Winry pulls her foot away from his neck and she looks at his brother and mom.

"Lets go Ed…. I'll repair your arm right here and now…I have a spare in the shed. Come on…" She grunts softly in disgust at the sight of Al wearing the state alchemist's uniform.

Dragging Edward along, Winry leaves Al and Trisha behind. She tosses Ed into the shed and closes the door, flipping the light switch up into the 'on' position. Propping him up in a chair, she kneels down to the right side of it, and carefully removes Ed's right arm. He yelps a couple of times and places his hand over the spot where his auto mail once was. "Look Ed, I'm sorry about earlier. I wasn't expecting you to come back so soon, Edward. I'm really happy to see you." She stands up and looks down at him. A small smile stretches across her lips. Suddenly, she goes behind him and puts her hands on his shoulders. "I…. didn't mean to accuse you of anything Edward…its just…I thought something else might have been wrong, you know? Seeing your mom alive end all…I just couldn't believe you when you said everything was okay…" her voice trails off and she bends forward, resting her head on top of his.

He glances up at her just barely, and looks forward. "I know…I understand why you said what you said, and why you did what you did. But…don't ever put your foot at my throat again…" she looks at him after putting her head on his shoulder, "Its hard to breath." He laughs with her quietly and she stands up fully, walking to a shelf. Pulling an auto mail arm off of it she walks back to Ed with a weak smile, and then grins.

"This is gonna hurt as always…" she whisper and places the arm close to his shoulder. Slowly, she connects the nerves. He yells loudly, and she quickly places her hand over his mouth to deaden the screaming. The nerves are slowly reconnected and completed. Within seconds, she was tightening some of the screws in the auto mail to keep it on him and to make sure that no pieces of the metal come undone in anyway.

Ed sighs and looks at Winry out of the corner of his pain. "Um…I think…someone's following us… because of our use of the circle." Winry drops her tools abruptly and she stares at Ed in a strange type of fear.

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**TBC!**

**REVIEW! Plzzz. I'd like to know what people think so far!**


	13. The Follower

**Chapter 13: The Followers**

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**This is what is happening back in Central at the time of Ed traveling back to Rizenbul with his family and getting his repairs. But, the last two paragraphs are set right after chapter 12. There will be a reminder of this during the story. The notice will be just before the said paragraphs. ENJOY!

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The three bodies began to gradually move and break the cuffs around their wrists and ankles with ease. Dropping to the floor on their feet, they look at each other with sheer curiosity. Slowly, one of them walks over to the window after examining the mostly empty bedroom. "They've escaped…those fools…" the guy says quietly.

"Master Haruki…. I'm sorry. I should have opened the door more slowly. I beg your forgiveness." The second one says to him, apologetically.

The first man to talk looks at the second one, acknowledging his name. Haruki. "My dear Toshi, you mustn't beg for my clemency. What you must do is tell Amaya to come here quickly and that we will leave after searching every room in this apartment thoroughly." He orders him, continuing to stare out the window, his arms folded across his chest slightly.

"Yes, Master Haruki." Toshi says quietly, exiting the room quickly.

Walking into the kitchen area, Toshi finds Amaya sitting on a chair with the table still upturned. "Amaya… Master Haruko needs you to search the apartment for clues." He grabs a chair, pulls it up closer to her, and sits down.

She was a couple years younger then Haruko, but probably the same age as Toshi. Her body was slender and appealing to most men, mostly Toshi and Haruko since she is always with them. Amaya was wearing a short, black skirt and a black shirt that came down to just above her belly button. Her long, raven black hair was hanging loosely over her shoulder as she twirls a strand of hair around her index finger. "I'm fine, just lovely." Slowly, she gets to her feet and looks down at the sitting Toshi. "You idiot. Why did you open the door so recklessly." Her voice was something that anyone would enjoy hearing and listening to, yet this time the tone of annoyance rose in her voice.

He looks at the ground for a split second and raises to his own feet to look at Amaya eye to eye. "Look, I'm sorry okay. I know it hurt, believe me, I was there, same as you and Master Haruki." Toshi says quietly, and stuffs his hands in his pockets.

Toshi was a normal size and was fairly built. His hair was a light black, almost purplish and he always wore a silver glove over his left hand and had tattoos all over his right hand from his wrist to his fingertips. His attire was of the normal, long pants that were a dull brown and a white shirt with a dark black vest over it, not buttoned at all.

Amaya sighs and puts her hands at her hips. "The Elric's are in Rizenbul. I think I'll pay them a visit seeing as they didn't really pay much attention to me when they bound us to the wall." She says out of nowhere as if to ignore Toshi's apology. Slowly, she turns her back on Toshi and walks towards the broken down front door of the apartment. "Tell Haruki that I'm taking the next train," she says softly, glancing at Toshi for a second, "You boys enjoy searching, 'kay?" Her final words had the sound of sweetness, but she turns around and leaves without so much as a 'good-bye'.

**XxX**

Reaching the train station, Amaya manages to get a free ride just by seducing and later killing a male server on the train. Taking her seat, she crosses her legs and folds her arms across her chest, staring out the window. "I'll find you Edward Elric…" her voice trails off as she drifts into a soft, careless sleep.

**XxX**

Haruki looks at Toshi as he re-enters the room and examines his expression thoroughly. "So…where did Ms. Amaya run off to this time?" he questions instantly. With a sigh, Toshi explains, with fine detail, where Amaya had in fact gone. "Heading to Rizenbul is she…. I wonder what gave her the urge to do that…" he mutters, dusting off his shirt. Their master wore dark clothes. Black pants and a dark, navy blue shirt. In the center of his hand were various types of markings, most being customized tattoos. His hair was a dark brown color, almost black. Around his waist, holding his pants up was a fairly long belt. The tail of the belt hung over his pants.

"I don't know why she'd go their, sir. Its such a run down place, what would make a girl like her want to go there?" the follower asks curiously.

With a sharp grin, Haruki looks at Toshi. "Maybe…she's trailing some sort of memory. A childhood memory of some sort." His grin becomes more and more evil as he says this. "We'll catch up to her soon, but first, lets trash this place by searching for some sort of clue. Ya know, instructions, papers, anything!" Haruki says angrily, storming out of the room, slamming his hand against the wall every few steps. Toshi watches him for a moment and follows, looking around the kitchen and living areas.

**X (A.N: The following paragraphs are set at the time Chap.12 ended) X**

The bumping of the train awakes her, startling her sense of consciousness. Rubbing her forehead, she looks around. For a split second, Amaya didn't have one clue where she was or what was going on, and then she sits up straight in her seat on the train, and looks out the window. It was nearing the station in Rizenbul at a quick, roaring pace. Slowly, she lifts her right hand and touches the window. Her hand, as well as the windowpane, was ice cold. She places her left hand on her right wrist, and the sky begins to shake violently. Withdrawing her hand she scoots herself closer to the center of the aisle while remaining in her seat.

Lighting rips across the sky at the speed of light, but there was a more deadly sense about it. Rain soon follows, pouring down to the ground at a quick rate. The sky was the darkest it's ever been in the day, even though night was drawing near. It was eerie and brought fear to the passengers of the train. Even Amaya was frightened by this and watches the rain –which was practically black- drip down the glass of the windows on the train and pour outdoors. She shivers and hugs herself, attempting to regain the sense of warmth in her body. "Please, let me reach the station. L-Let me find a place of shelter," as she says this, she becomes even more scared. Why was her attitude changing? Her thoughts were far different, she felt so strange. **_What is this feeling? Why…do I feel so helpless and alone? Am I allowing my memories to take control of my mind, of how I really think? _**With a sigh, she stops thinking and then the question popped into her mind, **_Is it…because I am nearing Edward's whereabouts? Or do I really fear getting stuck in the rain; the cold, peculiar black water that stains the lovely plains?

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**I hope all my readers enjoyed this! Post your thoughts; I'd like to know what you think about these three new characters. They are completely new, so they aren't from the manga or anime. The characters were made for story purposes. But, tell me what you think of them! Say w/e you like in the reviews. Speculation maybe? Or flame me,lol. Or Anything.**


	14. The Girl of The Black Rain

**Chapter 14: The Girl of the Black Rain

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**Here is chapter 14 of HNB! Finally…I am developing the entire story. It's not following the 'end-of-the-movie' kind of thing any more. That was mostly the beginning. Please enjoy! R&R!

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Ed looks out the window of the shed through his nearly closed eyes and sighs. "It's raining…" he says softly as Winry finishes up her work on his auto mail arm. He pulls his arm away from Winry's gloved hands and looks at her with a worn smile. "Thanks a bunch…" Edward says gratefully, nodding approvingly at the excellent craftsmanship of the arm.

"Your welcome…Edward." Winry's voice was soft and full of quiet sorrow. When seeing Ed's slightly confused expression, she replies with a sigh, "It's nothing really. I'm… you know, just thinking about how you're only going to be here for a few days…" she drops her head after admitting this and blushes.

Edward couldn't help but smile after hearing her say, what she said, and then lifts his auto mail hand up and places it under her chin. "Well…we're actually staying for longer then a few days…" his voice trails off as she makes eye contact with him and he sees her blushing.

"For a month or two?" She says excitedly like she was a child.

"Well…no, not that long. Just… ya' know, a little longer." He replies shyly and then stands up, tripping over her accidentally. He falls against the door of the shed and it collapses. Winry rubs her head the moment after his knee hit her and looks at Ed in slight worry. "I'm… okay!" he exclaims pulling himself back to his feet.

Winry gets to her feet and stomps over to Ed and glares. "WHO CARES ABOUT YOU! THE DOOR IS- AHH!" she shouts, her hands curled into tight fists.

Al and Trisha stare at Winry and Ed, and then sigh, shaking their heads improvingly. "There's never a moment where they aren't yelling…" Alphonse says quietly rubbing his neck weakly in complete shock at how quickly they can act up. Trisha's eyes become wide before she exhales deeply once more. "I'm sorry about all this happening mother… It's your first day back and you've had to run around so much…" the younger brother says sadly.

Trisha just smiles at her youngest son and tilts her head a little. "Don't be sorry dear…" she says plainly trying to show him that it wasn't such a big deal and didn't bother her a bit.

**XxX**

The train roars to a stop and Amaya hesitantly exits through the door in the back so that the conductor doesn't spot her. Taking gentle steps off the train, she drops to the ground with a soft _tap_ onto her feet. The rain instantly stops and not a single drip touches her. It was almost like… _magic._ Amaya slowly walks off into the distance, down the winding path, her head turning every so often in search of a fairly large house that she can possibly take refuge in.

She comes to a stop at the exact house she was envisioning earlier. "This…would be a perfect place to stay before I go looking for…" her words trail off and then roll to a stop seeing the shed with the door on the ground two people standing not too far away from the shed itself. "Edward Elric…" she says in disbelief and continues walking toward the shed at a slow –yet pretending- weak pace.

Stumbling, she falls near the side of Alphonse and wraps her arms around her chest as if in pain. "Ahh…" she groans convincingly and rolls over a little.

Al and Trisha look at Amaya and kneel down at her side in concern. Ed and Winry run over to them and look down at the mysterious girl that came out of nowhere. "What's wrong? Maybe we can help you or something!" Al says encouragingly as he looks from his mother to Ed and then to Winry. "Can you get Aunt Pinako?"

"Sure thing Alphonse." Winry says with a slight nod and runs off and into the house, going up the steps swiftly.

Meanwhile, Ed helps the girl sit up and stays beside her. "What happened?" he asks curiously looking at her as she hugged herself supportively. "Did someone harm you?"

"It was while I was getting off the train…" Amaya replies, making her voice sound as sore as she could. "When I was walking away from it … there was a scuffle and… well, they tried to…" she stops in embarrassment.

"…Oh… Should I find the cops? Or maybe…" Ed says softly after realizing that he wasn't completely sure what to do at all.

She shakes her head just barely. "I'm sure I'll be fine. Maybe… if I… well, I don't want to impose, but maybe I can stay here…" Amaya says shyly, looking at the ground.

Edward smiles, "Sure thing. I bet Winry and Aunt Pinako will let you stay. We may be a little crowded though. Is that fine with you?" he asks awaiting her reply. She nods a little and faintly smiles back to him. "Okay then…" he stands up and gently pulls Amaya to her feet. "Are you strong enough to walk?" With a shake of her head he drapes her arm across his shoulders. "Oh… I don't think I caught your name…" he says quietly, looking at her with a few blinks.

"Ah… I never told you it," she grins a little and adds, "It's Amaya. What might your name be?" Amaya asks in return.

"Edward." He answers as well. "Oh… and that's Alphonse, my brother, and my mom," Ed gestures to them as he says their names.

They walk into the house, leaving Al and Trisha behind. Entering the kitchen, they sit down and get to know each other a little better asking what each person liked to do. "Do you have a job Ed?" She asks

"I'm a state alchemist," Edward responds proudly at first, and then sees her frowning. "What's wrong Amaya?" he asks his own question now.

She sighs and replies, "My parents were killed by State Alchemists. I don't even know why and neither did the local state alchemists in my old town," sorrow was a distinct emotion in her voice and after much more talking it wore off more and more before it completely dissipated.

"I'm going to head up to get some sleep. You okay with sleeping with Winry in her room?" he asks just to make sure it was all still okay.

Amaya nods and watches Ed walk up stairs with his mom and Alphonse following. They –Al and Trisha- were walking most of the day while Amaya and Ed were talking with one another. Currently, she sat alone at the kitchen table while everyone was sound asleep. "Edward… you're so sweet… but… Master Haruki wouldn't care now would he? A pity. Such a cute boy. He's my age too…." Her voice was frail for some reason; it was as if it were visible but if air were to touch it –which it does no matter what- it would shatter instantly.

She places her hand on the table and looks out the window, toward the dark sky. A blue light illuminates the room for a short second before vanishing. Blackish rain began to fall and leave puddle on the ground of darkness; it was almost like black holes in the ground.

"My dear Edward… will you be consumed? Will it be because of Master Haruki's orders?" Amaya asks herself these questions quietly out loud. "If it were up to me… I'd forget about why we are even after them and go on with my life. Get to know Edward and his family a little better…" she sighs and gets up from her chair, walking up the steps in the same pattern as Ed and enters Winry's bedroom where she falls asleep on a large pile of fluffy blankets in the middle of the room with a large comfy pillow. "So nice of them…"

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**Okay, there is chapter 14. I think it turned out pretty good, don't you? Well, R&R. Hope you enjoyed!**


	15. Rounded Pain

**Chapter 15: Rounded Pain

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**Here's chapter 15. Please enjoy. R&R/Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN FMA

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Amaya awakes the next morning wearily, rubbing her eyes and blinking afterward. The door creaks open to reveal Ed and Winry peeking in to see if she was awake. After noticing that she was, they both walk in, and energetically, Ed speaks, "I hope we didn't wake you… it's pretty late in the day and we thought something was wrong," there was a slightly happy tone in his voice that was unmistakable. He was happy to see that she was alright.

With a hidden smile, she sits up and looks at them, her fingers enlacing each other and in her lap, she was sitting like an innocent, sweet, little angel. "No, I'm just fine. Don't worry." Amaya says this without the smallest ounce of sadness and then pulls herself to her feet, quickly putting her hands behind her back and closing them together. "I hope I'm not making you all feel obliged to take care of me…I mean…" she lets her voice drift off into the morning air, "Well… I sorta need a change of clothes…" Amaya finally adds trying to sound embarrassed.

"Oh no!" Winry says, waving her hands around a little, "I'm glad to help. Here…" she says walking over to a dresser nearby where Amaya was sleeping, " There are clothes in here as well as in the closet. Help yourself." A perky smile brightens her face and she tilts her head to the side ever so slightly. "I hope you find something you like." Winry adds before exiting the room with Ed by her side.

"Pft. What a little goody two shoes. Ha! 'I hope you find something you like'. I don't dress like a street-." As Amaya was speaking to herself under her breath, the door opens cutting her off.

It was Edward and both hands covered his eyes. "You aren't changing are you? If … if you are… I'll come back when you're finished," he says this hoping that with an explanation he wouldn't get in any sort of trouble and wouldn't get hit by her or any object she may decided to pick up and project at him.

Amaya quickly grins and quietly pulls her shirt off and picks up a small blanket that she used during the night so that she wouldn't be cold; it was much like a sheet. "Um... its fine… I have something to cover up," she says softly as if she was shy. "What did you want to talk to me about?" Amaya asks curiously walking a little closer to Ed.

He pulls his hands away from his eyes and stares at her for a moment before looking ahead into her eyes. "Um… well, I want you to be careful if you go out later or anything. There's some kind of really weird black water all around. Its in puddles and the city water and stuff. No one knows what it is so… I want you to be safe…" his voice trails off as he sees her coming nearer to him. "Ah…I'll let you finish changing your clothes…" Edward says quickly, waving his hands around nervously the moment he feels his face become completely red.

She grabs his shirt with her left hand, continuing to hold the sheet against her with her right one. "Ed… you're really cute when you're nervous. Maybe… you can come with me if I go out today…" she whispers and kisses him on the cheek, guiding him out of the room with a playful shove.

The second his feet are out of the room, she closes the door and locks it so that she can change in private. His face was even redder then before if that is possible. He stumbles backwards for a second and then slowly turns down the hallway to walk towards the staircase.

Downstairs now, Edward walks into the kitchen and sits at the table, eating breakfast with Aunt Pinako, Winry, and Al. The table was absolutely silent up until the point where Alphonse spoke abruptly, "I don't trust that girl, brother…" his voice was stern and his eyes were narrow enough to equal his tone. "I mean, when she fell near us, I got this weird feeling. Like… like she was a fake or something. I'm not sure, but it's not right. Letting her stay here," Al was so sure about his words that he spoke them loudly without fear of their unexpected guest overhearing him.

While upstairs, Amaya sat on Winry's bed, now fully clothed. She had her hands on her lap, flipped over so that her palms were visible to her eyes. "If he were to spot my pain. If Edward saw these circles of torture, he'd be full of so many questions," Amaya whispers sadly, glaring at the dark, black lined circle on both of her palms. The circles had a line through the middle –horizontally- and there was a triangle on the top and under that line. On the inner part of the outer band of both two dimensional spheres was various letters and words that weren't familiar to a great deal of people. "Master Haruki… when will you read this passage to me…" Her voice was fading as if she had no will left. Amaya falls backwards almost in pain, wraps her arms around her waist, and rolls over. "Why… do I feel this pain… in the pit of my stomach…?" 

Meanwhile downstairs, Ed and Al were arguing over the matter of Amaya staying in the house for a few weeks. "We'll be here if she were to try and pull anything Al!" Ed says in an attempt to sway Al's choices and decisions. "She's just a girl… how much harm could she do anyways?" Edward adds then covers his mouth. Al begins to laugh and agree and soon enough…

_WHAM._

Winry's wrench met the side of Ed's head and then met up with Al's head and they both fall out of their chairs and hit the ground in pain, practically shaking in fear of Winry's wrath. "I'm sorry! I'm sorryyy!" Ed yells in pain, covering his head with his arms as Winry comes closer with a whole toolbox.

"Were you implying that all women are weak, Edward Elric?" Winry questions pulling two wrenches out of the box and twirling them in between her fingers. "Hm?" Her voice was angry if not furious. She was beyond angry with them, and to think, she was telling Ed how much she missed him the day before.

"N-No! I'm sorry Winry! Please don't hurt me!" his voice was a little squeaky as he gets on his knees and bows forward, begging for her forgiveness. He was trying to make his voice sound like a child's, like it had when he was much younger.

Winry grins and kneels down. "You know I can beat your ass…" she whispers evilly.

"Yes…" Ed squeals helplessly.

**XxX**

"Master Haruki! Where are you going…" Toshi asks, chasing after his Master quickly as he tries to exit the Elric's former apartment.

"Are you questioning me?" Haruki turns around and glares at Toshi, grabbing him by the throat when he catches up to him. "You know what I'm capable of. Amaya knows what I'm capable of! You shouldn't be coming up to me… asking questions no less!" He yells as loud as he could in Toshi's face, his grip tightening around his neck. "Do you not understand the consequences? You know full well that the only reason I haven't killed you to this day… is because you are some sort of adopted brother to me! Isn't that right?" Haruki questions viciously shaking Toshi whose face was beginning to turn blue. "ANSWER."

"Y-yes..," Toshi responds breathlessly.

He drops Toshi to his feet and grins with delight. "I think… we'll pay our lovely Amaya a visit. Rizenbul, right? We'll go there Toshi." Haruki says abruptly, catching Toshi by complete surprise. "Lets go!" He exclaims and exits the apartment quickly with Toshi struggling to keep up due to lack of oxygen and energy, but, something kept him going.

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**There it is! Chapter 15… I hope those of who that read this fanfic enjoyed. I'm finally starting to get this story moved along. I promise, everything will get pushed together one way or another. This story is still about Ed and Al, the Dorai Circle, and the three new OCs. That's the only clue you get….not that its that great of a spoiler or clue.**


	16. Seven Colors Mirrored

**Chapter 16: Seven Colors Mirrored

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Haruki and Toshi arrive in the town of Rizenbul just a day and a half after Amaya's departure. They make their way down the swiveling path and turn, crossing the large patches of grassy areas. It was just a little later in the day, and the sky was darkening much quicker then normal. "No doubt Amaya is doing this… for some reason…I have the feeling upon me that she doesn't want us to get their any time soon…" Master Haruki says softly as he walks just a few steps a head of Toshi.

He looks at his highly respected leader and sighs, "Amaya wouldn't do something like that, Master…" Toshi says shyly, speaking as soft as he could to not draw any type of attention to himself

**XxX**

Meanwhile, Amaya stood in the bathroom upstairs, her hand pressed against the window. The sky began to grow darker and darker the more she kept rubbing her wrist. "Master Haruki…. you are coming aren't you…" she whispers so that if anyone was eaves dropping, they wouldn't hear her spoken words. As her hand began to sting, she looks at the darkening sky once more then removes her hand from the windowpane and shoves it in her pants pocket. "So soon… you... you aren't planning on using Toshi for something are you? Or the both of us…" Amaya says softly, rubbing her forehead with her other hand and sighs, falling backward intentionally to sit on the toilet bowl.

A knock at her door echoes throughout the bathroom and she stumbles to her feet impulsively, praying that whoever was outside the door wasn't going to become angry and tear the door down or something. "Um… whose there?" Amaya calls, advancing toward the door at a vigilant pace.

Another voice calls back, "It's me, Ed. Are you okay? You've been in there a long time! People have to use the bathroom!" Ed's tone slowly became full of annoyance and his fist hits the door once more with a forceful knock. He sighs and after hearing that, Amaya slowly opens the door to see him standing in front of her, his hands jammed in his pockets, his attention on the ground.

"What're you doing?"

Ed looks at Amaya quickly and waves his hands around, "Nothing! Nothing! Just… um… thinking." He looks out the bathroom window by peering past her and sees the dark sky, almost jet-black. "It got dark really early today. It's as dark as it usually is in the morning. Weird…" his voice trails off and he sighs a little, turning his back on Amaya and walking toward the staircase slowly. He suddenly stops, and turns his head halfway to glance at Amaya from the corner of his eye, "You should put long sleeved clothes on, the quicker it gets dark, the colder, right?" he managed to say this with a gentle smile on his face. And as quick as he had spoke his piece, he was downstairs, exiting the house entirely.

She looks out the window for a moment, and sees Ed, then hurries downstairs just to run into Al and Winry who give her a curious, yet extremely accusing stare. "Where are you going at this time of night?" Winry inquires, closing in on Amaya as she staggers around, thinking the whole time.

"Yeah, and why the rush?" Al interrogates, advancing in on Amaya at the same speed as Winry, both of them eyeing her suspiciously, hoping that she'll crack the way they want her too. "Spill it, Amaya. Why are you here? What's your plan!" Alphonse was practically shouting now on his brother's defense since his older brother wasn't present at the moment.

Amaya stares at them and stumbles back into a desk, knocking a glass to the ground only to hear it shatter loudly into a million pieces. "I have nothing to spill! You are both falsely accusing me because I came out of know where!" She says quickly, allowing her sleeves to cover her hands. Within seconds, she came up with the perfect lie, "I have no plan because I have nothing against any of you. I hardly know anything about all of you. I'm here because of mere coincidence. I fell beside you and I was offered shelter. Look, I'm here for one reason: I'm not fit enough at the moment to really do anything actively. I should be doing my walking… but you guys cornered me like I was some evil demon…" her voice drops to try and express innocence and solemn feelings.

In a matter of seconds, a loud, ear piercing scream from a boy is heard, followed by Ed wiping through a wall in Aunt Pinako's house. Trisha quickly runs to her first child and kneels by his side, her hand gripping his in worry. The last thing she wanted was to see her son hurt in any way. Either of them. They both tried so hard to bring her back to life.

"Someone… attacked me…" he groans, pulling himself to a sitting position followed by staggering to his feet, leaving his mother on her knees. Instantly, Al and Winry give Amaya an evil stare that could have killed her if Ed wasn't present.

Slowly, through the large hole in the wall, two men stepped over and past the rubble, and eyed Amaya comfortingly. "We've been searching for you for quite some time. It wasn't nice of you to turn the lights out on his, Amaya-kun…" Haruki says softly, moving on closer to Amaya, completely ignoring the fact that Alphonse and Winry were originally in his way. He lifts his hand and runs the back of it against her cheek and down a little, stopping as his hand wraps around her neck. "You shouldn't have done that…" he whispers to her angrily. Finally, he looks at Toshi and says, "Show them your power, Toshi. Amaya-kun and I will make for some sort of hideout. I think she'll be…" he tightens his grip around her neck, "glad to help…" after saying this, he drags her out of the house, Toshi stopping Ed or any one else from attacking Haruki.

Ed runs at Toshi and throws his fist at his face.

Toshi claps his hands together and lifts his right hand up, dragging it down through the air as if he were rubbing a wall in one quick swipe in only two seconds. Ed slams his auto mail fist into the spot Toshi waved his hand past and feels many joints in the metal jam up and then he felt his arm becoming weak and soon enough, his right arm was falling apart piece by piece until there were a variety of screws on the ground and small sheets of metal.

"What the hell!" Ed shouts, staring at his own right arm.

"SEVEN COLORS MIRRORED!" Toshi exclaims, the spot where Ed punched began to glow radiantly in seven different colors. "Let's dance…" he says smugly, the lights flying around the room like blasts from a cannon that fires lasers.

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**Here is chapter 16! Though not many people read or review this fanfic.**

**Thanks:**

**Ruby: Thanks for the review, I'm very happy you enjoyed chapter 14.**


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